The Nightmare Saga: Warrior Of The Shadows
by JohnnyReb
Summary: Story one. As a new and mysterious opponent shatters Ranma's old rivals one by one, he must prepare to fight for his very survival! Other life changing events occur along the way, forcing him to reevaluate his feelings for Akane before it's too late! Final online revision contains new scenes, characters, cleaned up mistakes, and additional dialogue.
1. Prologue: Reflections of Rage

WARRIOR OF THE SHADOWS.

A Ranma 1/2 fanfic.

Part one of the _Nightmare _Saga.

By Jason Olin

These characters are not mine! I'm only a Specialist in the Army and I certainly can't afford a lawsuit! Suing me for money would be a waste of time! _ All rights go to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz. video, Shoganaku, and to everyone else who was involved in the rights to this series both in its TV and manga format.

Points of interest: This story contains some use of foul language, you have been warned. If this offends you, stop reading here!

Note of importance: This series starts off where the OAV series ends. Certain characters in my series only appeared in the manga so if you haven't read the Ranma comics, you may be a bit lost since I've decided to tie in the climatic end of the manga with the end of the OAV series. The timeline of this series places the final fight with Saffron several months after the OAV episode "The two Akane's, Ranma look at me!" I hope that clears up any possible confusion.

This is my newest version of this story. I've added some new scenes that I'm certain you all enjoy! This will also be the final revision done to this story. I hope you all have as much fun reading this as I did writing it! I consider it a tribute to my favorite Anime series, one I collected and enjoyed for over nine years.

WARRIOR OF THE SHADOWS.

A Ranma 1/2 fanfic.

Part one of the _Nightmare _Saga.

By Jason Olin

These characters are not mine! I'm only a Specialist in the Army and I certainly can't afford a lawsuit! Suing me for money would be a waste of time! _ All rights go to Rumiko Takahashi, Viz. video, Shoganaku, and to everyone else who was involved in the rights to this series both in its TV and manga format.

Points of interest: This story contains some use of foul language, you have been warned. If this offends you, stop reading here!

Note of importance: This series starts off where the OAV series ends. Certain characters in my series only appeared in the manga so if you haven't read the Ranma comics, you may be a bit lost since I've decided to tie in the climatic end of the manga with the end of the OAV series. The timeline of this series places the final fight with Saffron several months after the OAV episode "The two Akane's, Ranma look at me!" I hope that clears up any possible confusion.

This is my newest version of this story. I've added some new scenes that I'm certain you all enjoy! This will also be the final revision done to this story. I hope you all have as much fun reading this as I did writing it! I consider it a tribute to my favorite Anime series, one I collected and enjoyed for over nine years.

**"I am Death, Destroyer of worlds." **

- J. Robert Oppenheimer

Prologue:

"Nekonron, huh?"

The young man looked out at the barren scenery from his position atop a large, grassy hill and surveyed the bleak target below. The barren kingdom bearing the scrutiny of his predatory eyes seemed, at first glance, so vulnerable and quiet, like a sleeping baby in its protective crib, oblivious to the hazards and dangers produced by the chaotic world around it. Perhaps it was true that Nekonron was a kingdom better suited for a fairy book tale than actual reality. The kingdom certainly did not receive a fair number of visitors based on the scratches upon that hard stone that could only vaguely be called a road.

While the mystical kingdom of Nekonron was surely an oddity to the world at large, it was nothing out of the ordinary for this part of China, a rather small stretch of mystical land nestled deep within the Qing Hai province. In this part of the ancient country that was home to Jusenkyo, Mount Phoenix, Neknonron, and the Amazon Tribe, oddities were just a normality of life that wasn't questioned. Such magical factors somehow hid away in plain sight from the eyes of the wandering travelers and tourists who came to China every year.

The young man sneered with contempt, finding the land almost not worth the trip and even less worthy of being put on a map. Though this country was weak, useless, and an eyesore, it still held one important feature to it. That one feature was why he'd had come so far. He only hoped his chosen opponent wouldn't prove to be as weak as his kingdom was. His mood and strained patience wouldn't tolerate such a disappointment lightly.

He spat on the ground, defiling it with an impish glee not given in to since childhood.

"This is utterly pathetic. Why the hell would anyone want to live out here?"

A cold wind picked up and he hugged the cloak that concealed his bulky form tightly under his chin, further giving vocal life to his irritable inner thoughts. "They dare to call this barren rock pile a kingdom? No, it is certainly not worthy of such a title."

He picked up a fist sized stone and absentmindedly began tossing it in his hand, surveying his temporary hunting ground with well-trained eyes. There was no use rushing into things. Besides, as a hunting warrior he wanted to savor the neck of his prey before he bit down for the kill. He had all the time in the world to initiative the offensive against his unwary foes. The coming events would move at his pace and proceed at his discretion and design. As such, he had absolutely nothing to worry about and nothing to rush over. Let the citizens here enjoy a final few minutes of peace before he unleashed hell. In the end, it really wouldn't matter.

The night wind continued to pass by, rustling his unruly hair like invisible fingertips. This, combined with the devilish grin on his face, gave him a truly inhuman appearance. He had never been normal, at least not in the mind of others. But that was neither here nor there and he didn't care about the thoughts and opinions of people, especially since they were mostly negative. Ridicule from the weak had never kept him from working hard to complete his goals. On the contrary, it only served to motivate him.

His determination for vengeance radiated from every pore on his body now that the plan of action was ready to commence at last. The rage and excitement that had been building in his heart for weeks boiled up, begging to be released. All the lesser opponents he had faced up to this moment had been but a series of tests for the big hunt that was to come. He was ready now for a true challenge; surely someone here could give him a good show and provide him with that which he desired. What he needed was a way to test his skills. That was why he'd come all the way out here.

Tonight would lay a proper foundation for his ultimate revenge. It was all he desired, like the sweetest of wine sought by a drunkard. All he wanted was to reap vengeance and become the strongest martial artist the world had ever seen. It was all he thought about during his waking moments and all he dreamt about in his darkest slumber.

To prove his supremacy, he'd designed a plan that would set him against the best of the best in the Orient for the purpose of testing his honed body and mind. If the rumors he had heard were true, the ruler of this little territory fit that need to a tee. Simply put, it would be the first hit of many.

_Ah, the thrill of the hunt. The singular pursuit of an opponent._ Thus was the reason for the lone wolf's entry into the land of wind and stone, the micro kingdom of Nekonron.

The young man's smile widened to an almost impossible size and his eyes shone with bloodlust, transforming his features into something all too demonic and evil. He laughed deeply without humor and listened as the sound echoed across the rugged mountains around him. His hands came up from his sides, defying the heavens above. He felt like a god, invincible and omnipotent atop an invisible throne.

The intense training, the punishment he had put on his body, the strain of nearly breaking so many times, all had helped his skills ascend to an unimaginable level. His pain threshold was incredible, his strength that of a monster, his wrath easily given out with no remorse or regret. His heart and soul had become one with the darkness and shadows. Now he moved through that same dark current that gave him this harnessed power like a swimmer through water.

He felt a small thrill surge from within as he realized an important truth. He had molded himself into the perfect warrior at last, a true shadow warrior in every sense of the word.

The young man had become a monster in more than just form, and oh, how glad he was for it. His twisted views, warped by years of ill treatment and hostility only added to his strength, dispelling the ridiculous notion that kindness, love, and compassion were the most important emotions. To the jaded youth, more ridiculous words had never been uttered. Kindness to others was always overlooked, love was a mind-altering weakness that hindered good judgment, and compassion was nothing but a fear to kill, to beat an enemy into oblivion. It enabled those who had the resolve to kill to dominate those who feared to inflict warranted death.

Power. Strength. Hatred.

Yes, those were the _true _emotions of a determined warrior who basked in the loss of his own soul. Nothing could stop him and he would share this truth with the targets he had selected to become his playthings. He would most enjoy _breaking _them one at a time.

Inside of his mind, the young man realized that he had become a slave of sorts to the dark hatred that had come to fester in his heart. That knowledge only caused him to grin again. What of it? If that was the price to accomplish his revenge, then so be it. A soul, in the end, was of little consequence. Strength and power were all he cared for; these attributes were all he needed to get by in the world and tame it as his own.

His piercing eyes gazed down at the quiet land again. Nekonron was to become but the first small step in a series of bigger ones that was to define the path of glory he was undertaking. He could not move away from this path. He had already come too far and sacrificed too much. Besides, it felt so _good_ to bring chaos upon the ignorant. It was all so right within his mind, tattered and tainted as it had become.

At last, after over a year of hardships he would finally set in motion the final plans he had held back for so very long. The adrenaline flowed through his veins like wild fire and his heart beat faster to keep up. Surely this was what it felt like to be truly alive. He stretched his arms out to his sides again and took a deep breath, feeling the blood and energy surge through him.

The training had been hard but necessary. He just hadn't been strong enough before. His past battles had made that lesson painfully clear. The grin disappeared from his face as he temporary reflected on this. He momentarily flexed his right hand, shattering the palm sized rock he had been tossing into dust particles as a brush of annoyance swept through his mind.

He shook his head, dispelling the ill-wanted remnant of a thought. _If only the old man had just given in to my simple request in the first place none of this would need to happen!_

Over time, ill events had continued to occur, and so his rage and frustration had grown to match. The source of his anger had mocked him, tormented him countless times, and the other people there had presented themselves as obstacles to his goals. Time and time again he had been thwarted. The faces of so many opponents who'd conspired against him flew through his thoughts. They'd stood against him once too many times.

"Not anymore." He set his jaw. "Never again."

Defeat would no longer be tolerated. It was time to take things to the next level. He'd play their foolish game in their stupid little town one last time, but he didn't intend to fail again. He would bring swift death to all that stood in his way. There would be no simple bruises and black eyes this time around. No, this time he was out to take lives. It was a completely necessary extreme and he felt no fear, remorse or pity at the thought of performing such murder. After all, they had driven him that far. He wasn't to blame for what he had become.

Strapping on his metal, face-concealing helm, the young man started down the dirt path toward his awaiting destiny. The dark shadows of night engulfed his powerful form like a hungry war beast. With but a thought, he merged with these shadows as intimately as if the two were lovers embracing in the night's concealment. The shadows were his world now, a cold, comforting ether realm.

The fun was about to begin. Let the hells be unleashed. A new nightmare was about to descend upon the world. Excitement and joy bubbled up within him and his terrible laughter trailed behind him as he descended further into the shadows that cloaked him. The sound of a strong force scattering rocks down the sloping trail towards Nekonron was the only indication he even existed to the world.

One with his hatred, one with the shadows, he prepared for battle…


	2. Breaking the Pride of a Prince

Chapter 1: Breaking the Pride of a Prince

Seven Luck Mountain was the largest of the gigantic string of mountains that enclosed the small kingdom of Nekonron. It towered over the sleeping land like a silent guardian, cutting it off from many forms of outside life and communication that the modern world enjoyed. Overhead, like a crown around the top of the mountain, a storm brewed and wind racing through the barren land like a pack of howling banshees. The mountain withstood the conditions as it had for countless years, every bit as strong as the people who dwelled upon it.

For centuries Nekonron had existed chiefly as a source of folk tales and spiritual ideas in the minds of creative people in the surrounding nations. Few knew the land actually existed outside of legend. Ancient Nekonronian's had believed that the Gods themselves had come down from the heavens and made their home on Seven Luck Mountain. In honor of this ideal, the later generations of leaders that would come to rule the kingdom did so from the stable and secure mountain top. It offered a grand view and a strategically safe location in which to live. Everything about the mountain rang with security and stability.

Enveloped in the dark shadows of the mountain, the valley region below the silent behemoth lay quiet except for the erratic storm breeze that blew through the rocky land, scattering pebbles and small stones as it passed like a wraith in the night. Heavy steam from underground hot springs swirled around the mountain base, hugging it gently within a misty shroud.

It was a strangely ominous night filled with a foreboding that blended in perfectly with the desolate landscape and scattered lightning. A sinister edge crept through the normally calm and barren land, whispering through the wilderness with an edge of promised malice.

In the six giant shrines of the Six Lucky Gods Martial Artists that lay along the road leading up to Kirin's palace, the warrior's slept, oblivious to the sounds and cries of hunting animals around them. As the humans rested, nature continued on, forcing the night animals to press on yet again in a desperate attempt to survive in their bleak hunting territory. Packs of wolves hunted small rodent and rabbits throughout the rocks as the prey used their intense night vision to tear through the darkness and hide, trembling with fear as the larger carnivores passed.

On top of the large, shadow-casting mountain, Prince Kirin's rebuilt palace stood lonely and formidable, giving it a truly awe inspiring appearance. In actuality it was more like a giant tower than a castle. It was almost identical to the one destroyed a year ago during the great fight against Ranma Saotome. Solid stone held this new one together, replacing the traditional wood that had been used before. It was the ruler's hope that the new material would give the palace a greater lifespan against the sometimes harsh climate.

The palace was just as silent as the land below it. In her stable at the side of the palace, Queen Lychee's pet elephant Jasmine slept uneasily. Her slow steady breathing echoed loudly around the large stone room. Suddenly coming awake, her large banana-shaped eyes shot open and she growled softly, sniffing the cool night air. Something wasn't right. The air had a thick evil feel to it. She'd felt something quite similar before, back in Japan. It was like the aura given off by a powerful martial artist, only stronger and darker.

Jasmine stiffened deeply. Someone was coming to Nekonron, someone very powerful. She could feel it clearly with her heightened senses. Unnerved, the elephant growled nervously and stirred on her bed of hay, never daring to close her eyes. She knew that she should have warned her master with a trumpeting call of warning. However fear stayed her feet and she did nothing but accept the fear that was even now paralyzing her into non-action.

Inside the castle, Kirin and Lychee's many servants also slept, each in their own small, cozy rooms that dotted the palace's grand main corridor. Random snores echoed out, traveling down barren hallways that were decorated with fine red carpet and numerous wall decorations that represented the kingdom's historical existence. A clock ticked off the seconds somewhere within the cacophony of stillness.

The castle had never had any need for internal guards and as such, the nobility did not employ them. For an intruder or invading force to get to the castle, they would first have to pass through the shrines of the guardian Lucky Gods that blocked the winding road leading up the mountain's side. In the nation's history thus far, only one group had ever succeeded in this remarkable feat: Ranma Saotome and his meddling cohorts.

Despite the somewhat lax security life was peaceful enough. The autonomous nation went unnoticed by the greater part of China. Ironically, the same peaceful existence that had allowed the various rules of Nekonron to go about their lives free from danger was soon to be the instrument of a most brutal attack. But even as the shadow of darkness crept ever closer none of the human occupants were any the wiser.

In their giant bedchamber at the back half of the castle, Lychee slept peacefully in a large soft bed the color of pearl, snuggling against her husband's form. Her mind rested far away in the peaceful land of dreams. Her husband lay beside her, restless and wide awake.

Prince Kirin was an unfortunate victim of reoccurring insomnia that threatened to drive him mad. The white of his eyes pierced the dark hue of the room, staring at the ceiling in silent irritation. He growled under his breath, clenching the bed sheet in frustration.

He rolled over for the hundredth time that evening in an attempt to force sleep to come to him with no success. It never worked. As he tried to find a new way to become comfortable enough to grow sleepy, the stricken prince wondered why he stubbornly tried so hard when the results would be the same time after time, night after night. Perhaps it was just in his warrior's nature that made him want to struggle onward against the odds. While his stubbornness served him well in battle, it did little against his own body and true blissful sleep continued to elude him, as it had for weeks on end.

The affliction had come without warning. He had never had a problem sleeping before and then one day it had struck and clung to him. One random day, as he had gazed out at his small kingdom, his mind had returned to the memory. Old feelings had assaulted his emotions, feelings of anger, regret, and humiliation rocked him to the core of his soul. It was then that the insomnia had begun. He believed that it was a cultivation of his guilt and humiliation at being bested in battle that had brought it on.

To make matters worse his mind betrayed him every night from then on, recalling his defeat against Ranma night after night and amplifying the memories of the experience until the minor incident had risen to the level of a calamity within his mind. He was unaware of this on a conscious level but the effects were devastating all the same.

Originally the gravity of the matter hadn't bothered him. After his defeat, the two rivals had parted on friendly terms and he had quickly fallen in love with Lychee. His marriage had taken his mind off the tragic battle completely and had given him a greater sense of joy than he had ever before known. But now these pleasant memories were no longer enough to contain his exasperation.

Kirin's eyes hardened and then he sighed, shaking his head and giving up the struggle to sleep for the evening. The frustrated young man sighed again, softly muttering an all too familiar curse as he sat up in the giant bed, gazing down at the sheets that draped lifelessly across his form. Running a hand across his haggard face, he groaned in exasperation, massaging his temples in a vain attempt to stave off a headache.

The image of Ranma's final attack, the Hiryu Shoten Ha, bringing him to his knees in defeat was vivid in his mind and caused his teeth to grit in silent rage. What a humiliation that battle had been. He wondered again if he really was so weak as to be beaten by an arrogant Japanese boy. In the long line of Nekonronian princes, none had ever been beaten in combat, much less by an outsider. The fact that he had disgraced the royal line helped to increase his torment a hundred times over.

_Why,_ he asked himself, as he looked down at his hand, _why can't I just let go of the past? What's wrong with me?_

He hadn't slept well for weeks now and despite his stubbornness, he was beginning to learn that when the visions of the past appeared within the confines of his mind, sleep was all but impossible. The lack of sleep was starting to take its toll on him, keeping him in an unshakable state of drowsiness during the waking hours. What was worse was the fact that the kingdom was starting to pay for the effects of the ruler's nasty problem, bringing its productivity to a near standstill on some levels. Even his personal warriors and attendants seemed restless.

In concern for his welfare, his wife had offered him sleeping pills but he had stubbornly refused. "Real warriors don't need the help of drugs to get their bodies under control," He had told her, ordering all of the drugs of that nature purged from the castle grounds. Now he wished he hadn't turned the increasing attractive offer down.

The burning image of Ranma's victorious smile remained in his mind, mercilessly tormenting him despite his best efforts to block it. He needed a way to clear his thoughts. If sleep had abandoned him, he would need something to help pass the lonely night's time.

Rising silently from his bed, Kirin pulled the covers up around his sleeping wife and kissed her gently on her soft cheek. She murmured something unintelligible and hugged her pillow closer to her body to compensate for the loss of his body heat. He smiled down at her, brushing a hanging curl of hair from her face. It was during such moments, as he gazed upon her, that he truly realized how lucky he was. She was a dutiful and wonderful wife and far more tolerant than people twice her age.

Lychee and Kirin had been married for almost a year and she seemed most content with her life. This had surprised the kingdom to no end. His previous love interest, Akane Tendo, had complained bitterly about his eating choices and lifestyle. Lychee did not have such qualms and seemed to have no trouble adjusting to his nation's interesting eating habits. She was a dutiful queen and looked after all her husband's needs without comment or complaint. She even seemed to have that special womanly second sense, often times helping her to correctly guess her mate's thoughts and feelings before he spoke of them.

With his ever-present chopsticks in hand, carried more out of habit than anything else, Kirin silently strode out of the room and into the dining hall. He stopped and gazed thoughtfully out at Nekonron from one of the many large windows. On a clear day this palace window offered a breathtaking view of not only Nekonron, but of the surrounding lands as well. He recalled that Lychee loved to sit out on the balcony and just stare dreamily off into the lazy blue sky for hours on end. It would be spring soon, and then the barren fields would erupt with beautiful wild flowers. It was the couple's favorite time of the year.

Far off in the distance a beam of lightning detached itself from the sky and struck the ground with devastating power as if to remind him that the coming of such beauty was still a long way away. The storm, though clearly very large, seemed to be moving east, therefore bypassing Nekonron completely. It was a good thing too. The last thing Kirin needed was a possible flood problem to deal with on top of everything else. The attendants had already shut off the geysers for fear of flooding the palace grounds.

Important as these thoughts were, they were not his chief concern at the moment. Instead he thought of more personal matters, and allowed a flicker of jealousy to overtake him. Before his eyes the distant storm lumbered on. Lightning crisscrossed across its length with elegant destruction.

_My warriors are no doubt asleep, as is everyone else in my palace...lost in their world of dreams. A world I rarely see anymore._

Shaking his head sadly, Kirin turned away from the window and silently made his way up the stone steps to his private meditation chamber which lay at the very top of the palace. A special room built only for him, no one else was allowed to set foot inside its confines without his permission.

Kirin clutched his forehead as he walked up the stairs. The headache intensified and threatened to split his head apart. _Ranma! Why is my memory of you causing this miserable condition?! _

_Ranma, Ranma, Ranma. _

The boy's name played endlessly in his mind like a broken record, taunting him. He shook his head violently from side to side, gritting his teeth as he took the stairs at a faster pace.

_How could I have lost?_ _I don't understand how such a common Japanese boy managed to defeated me, the greatest martial artist in all of China!?_

As usual, no answer presented itself save the night's deathly silence. Outside, the wind's cold current brought on by the storm brushed up against the palace's walls, creating a low humming sound that racked the prince's already shot nerves. Hatred filled him and he angrily flung open the wooden doors to the meditation chamber, straining the metal supports nearly to the breaking point.

Entering the room caused him to feel a slight twinge of relief. Perhaps he could find peace here in his place of solitude. The room was completely barren save for a long red rug that was placed in the center of the room on the hard stone floor. The rug had a large picture of China on it with Nekonron's borders outlined in white. Underneath the picture, the word "NEKONRON" was written in large golden letters. The rug had been a gift from the Communist leaders of China when Kirin and his mother, the former queen, had gone to Beijing ten years earlier on a business trip.

Nekonron was a modest ally to the Communist government both financially and politically and ignored by the larger nation as a whole. There had never been a moment of illusion as to the true relationship between the two nations. His mother had known the Communists felt her kingdom existed on an expendable level given its small size and lack of power in the eyes of the other nations of the world. At only twice the size of the country of San Marino, the diminutive status of the ancient kingdom could not be helped.

With this fact in mind, the queen had thought it necessary to keep peaceful relations with the government to ensure Nekonron's continuing prosperity. This was carried out much to Kirin's dismay. She argued that to oppose the Communists would invite the death of the kingdom and all its inhabitants. Though wise advice and clearly irrefutable, it still irked Kirin. He never liked to be dependent on anything or anyone. Never-the-less, he saw the logic in her plan and had kept peace and trade going with the government long after her passing. It had been a painful thing to do, but it had been her will and he respected that.

The rug had originally been just a picture of China but Kirin's mother had later stitched on the rest of the rug's features at a later date, presenting it as a surprise gift to her happy son on his fifteenth birthday. At that time, he had just started practicing some of the lesser duties he would need when he became king one day. It all seemed so very long ago, almost as if he'd dreamt it all up in his mind.

_ "Someday, dearest Kirin, this land will be yours," _she had told him. "_Rule wisely and fairly and you will live a life of joy and prosperity."_

That piece of advice was what he had tried to live by his whole life. She had died soon after during a peace conference gone wrong with a small neighboring kingdom. A rebel faction had gained control of the government and its insane leader had captured, and later slaughtered the conference members, his mother included. He had claimed that it had been a necessary measure to show that he would do what he promised to get what he wanted.

This rash action angered the whole of China. The country had been invaded by the various different governments of the land and the rebel faction in charge of the government found themselves locked in a hopeless battle. When Kirin had taken power he had quickly sent his small forces to join in the waning attack. Present at the little war's end, he had stood by as Communist troops stormed the main government compound, taking no prisoners in their wake. The ground had run red with blood as the slaughter of the rebels had commenced with extreme prejudice.

The bloody victory had brought Kirin no pleasure. His beloved mother was gone and no amount of bloodshed or hatred could ever bring her back. The rug was one of the few physical things he had left to remember her by. Because of this, he allowed no one but himself and his wife to handle it when it came time to give it its monthly washing.

The front half of the meditation chamber was almost pitch black, like the vast void of a black hole. Only slow and well placed steps kept the prince from taking an embarrassing fall on the cold stone floor. The room's only source of light came from a small window at the top of the ceiling. Scant rays of moonlight fell from the sky and formed a small square around the sacred rug, giving it the illusion that it was glowing with ethereal powers.

Kirin sat on the rug cross-legged and saw the pale moonlight flow around his body, bathing him in radiant white. He gazed around at the castle's stone walls, allowing his troubled mind to relax, taking several deep breaths. Once again, his thoughts traveled to the recent past and images came to mind as vivid and as clear as a picture on a TV screen.

The palace had been rebuilt after Kirin's decisive battle against Ranma from plans designed by Lychee and himself to suit their needs and wishes. He fondly remembered walking into the rebuilt palace for the first time, holding her hand and gazing around in pleasure at the excellent job his workmen had done! Their tired, smiling faces reflected the joy he had felt, and their bank accounts had reflected his pleasure.

Kirin smiled to himself. That had been one of the happiest days of their lives, second only to their wedding where the two were joined in marriage. They were as one now, destined to be together forever, in life, and beyond. Nekonronian weddings were by tradition, extravagant by design. Even the poorer people celebrated lavishly, often saving up for years just for such an occasion. Dancing with her amongst the beautiful spring flowers after the wedding ceremony as Monron played her stringed lute along with the Royal Nekonron Military Band, he had found completion.

_"Hiryu Shoten Ha!"_

The fond memory left him in a flash, completely against his will. It was replaced by a humiliating picture of Ranma grinning in triumph as his destructive and horrifying hurricane fist final attack brought him to his knees in defeat. Fire flared up again within his senses and it almost felt as if his mind was deliberately trying to attack the rest of his body. Kirin tightened his hand into a fist as a mask of rage returned to his normally handsome face. Clenching his teeth, he wanted nothing more than to find the boy and tear him apart. Maybe then the visions would fade and he could once again sleep in peace.

His confident promise to Akane Tendo drifted back. _"When Ranma is defeated a second time, you will give yourself to Kirin and become his bride."_

The memory came rushing back like a great river, totally unable to be stopped, even by the dam in his mind. Akane Tendo. That sweet, charming Japanese girl was a person he would never forget. Deep down, Kirin knew he still held some small amount of feelings for the spunky girl. Even though he was happily married to Lychee, the small, blue-haired martial artist had managed to touch something inside him that even he didn't quite understand. He had hoped to have Akane as his bride, but that dream had also been wiped away by Ranma's consistent meddling.

The anger consumed him, flowing endlessly through his veins. Signs of indecision showed visibly on his face as he struggled against his own darker feelings. _No! I do not hate Ranma! He defeated me honorable and fairly. We parted as friends and I do not think bad thoughts about my friends!_

He forced his body to calm as he mentally brushed the thoughts of Akane aside for the time being. He cursed himself for letting his heart be controlled by anger. If he were a true martial artist, he would run his emotions, not let them run him. This was just one of the signs that he had a long way to go until he was ready to become a king, and rule as a martial arts master.

-Anger towards the past will do me no good, what is done is done, the past has been written. I must now look to the future, - he whispered out loud in his native tongue.

His lack of sleep was getting to him more so each night. Holding onto feelings for a girl when he was already married? Staying angry over a duel with an honorable warrior and losing fairly? This wasn't like him at all. The prince berated himself for a moment before taking a series of cleansing breaths. Relaxing even further, his breathing slowed to a rhythmic tempo, and he found his center, and clung to it. Closing his eyes, he cleared his mind of all thoughts and entered a meditation trance, the only cure for the quick anger that plagued him night after night.

In this state he was open to the flow of chi. His soul joined with this flow as easily as a man slips into water and he instantly felt the warm energy sooth his mind. It brought out in him a state of much needed tranquility. The energy surrounded his being, engulfing him entirely within its brilliance. His soul shined with temporary rejuvenation and he sighed with relief.

In this state he felt life, felt with joy the peacefulness of nature. He didn't just feel the current of chi; he became it, and reached out to everything around him. Like an exploding chorus of angels, he felt moved by the miracle of life as it flourished in even the most desolate of places. It was a miracle how such gentle steady power could bring life to black darkness. He felt the wind, cold and silent, his mountain home, wrapped in the shroud of midnight, the palace and all who lived in it, asleep and silent, the...

_Power!_

A smothering darkness filled his consciousness, leaving only the sensation of ravenous hatred where there had once been gentle tranquility. Like a deadly gatecrasher, the heavy presence filled the room and pressed down on his shoulders. It was unlike anything Kirin had ever felt before. He hunched over as if something had hit him directly in the solar plexus.

Kirin's eyes snapped open in the wake of the harsh sensations, instantly bringing him out of the trance. Unnerved, Kirin realized he was no longer alone. Something had just entered the room. Its energy level was of the likes he had never felt before, not even from Ranma. The air was practically radiating with power. The density of the air grew noticeably heavier. The hair on the back of his neck prickled and stood on end as his senses heightened to evaluate a potential threat.

"Who's there?" Kirin called out, jumping up into a defense stance, looking around the room. His voice echoed loudly off the stone walls and produced no answer. He shifted his position slightly, planting his weight onto his right foot in case he needed to move quickly. Why hadn't he sensed this power before now? Did this person somehow know how to hide his true presence until he was right on top of his target?

Even now the energy of whoever had intruded into the room served as a shield, giving the prince no advantage. All he could tell was that the energy signature was definitely that of a male, but beyond that, none of the questions popping up in his mind had answers.

Kirin narrowed his eyes and scanned the nearly black room, hoping to spot the hiding intruder. This was no figment of his imagination, he was sure of that much. This person was watching him from inside the room. They couldn't hide forever though. It would be morning soon after all. The sun would show all, if it came to that.

"Answer me!" Kirin's voice rose with intensity. Still there was no reply. He hissed under his breath. This person had an advantage over him and could attack at any time from any direction with little or no warning. Kirin hated it when the odds were stacked so firmly against him. This person was toying with him, probably analyzing his reactions to find a suitable weakness. That was the only explainable reason for the continued inaction.

The prince kept his body rigid, trying to gather more information from the dark energy that surrounded him. The energy he sensed felt utterly corrupted, but that wasn't all he sensed. Strangely, in the back of his mind he felt a slight sense of tragedy echo from the flow of energy as if a skilled and determined person had given himself to evil due to a great pain or perhaps a past wrong committed against him. The power covered the soul of the hiding intruder within a cocoon of anger and a thirst for vengeance.

This was all Kirin could sense with his honed abilities and the sheer volume and intensity of the hatred he felt scared him. -Answer me, coward!-

Then he saw it in the corner of his eye, an outline of what Kirin guessed was a man. He turned his head to get a better view. The man's body was masked by a dark shadow, making it impossible to clearly see his features. The energy pulsed and swirled over his form, constantly moving like clouds during a thunderstorm. The man stood unmoving in the far corner of the room in an almost casual fashion, leaning against the wall.

"I see you," Kirin said, growing impatient. "There is no point in hiding! Tell me how you gained entrance to my chamber and avoided detection! Not even an insect could move in here without me sensing it. How did you accomplish the impossible?"

The man shifted and said nothing.

"You are obviously brave to enter my sanctuary without permission. Well, either that or very stupid. Voice your intentions or leave me be."

A deep, distorted voice replied a moment later. It was neither a loud shouting voice nor a whisper and contained a depth to it that promised violence. The voice was deliberately muffled but that did not subtract from its strength. The tone Kirin felt as much heard had an edge to it, cold like death. Unexpectedly, the voice startled him, though he tried not to show it. He didn't want to give the enemy any further satisfaction or a clear mental advantage in this situation.

"So," its powerful voice said, speaking flawless Chinese, "You are the great and powerful Prince Kirin that I've heard so much about. I would say that it's an honor to finally meet you, but that would be a lie."

The man's deep voice echoed throughout the chamber, chilling Kirin to the bone. The voice seemed to move through Kirin, passing through his soul like a strong winter chill. "What the…"

This was serious. Kirin was positive this person hadn't been in the room before his arrival. Somehow the man had silently gained access to the room while he was meditating. That wasn't even humanly possible because the chamber's only door was right in front of the prince's eyes. If it had opened even a crack, he would have instantly been alerted. He glanced up towards the window above. That was impossible too. Not even a small man could squeeze through its tight confines. How had the intruder done it? People did not just materialize inside of stone walls, not even the greatest of martial artists could pull that off.

A cold sweat trickled down the sides of his face. In either case, he knew he would have to play this out carefully. He decided needed to keep the man talking and buy some time to plan out a strategy. "How did you get in here, and how do you know of me?"

"Stone walls do not hinder me. I can pass through any object with a mere thought. To answer your second question, I've made it my… hobby if you will, to study martial artists from around the world. You are just one of the many that I have observed."

"I am flattered," he spat sarcastically. "Who are you and what do you want?"

"Who I am is really not that important. I am your opponent for this evening. That is all the information that you need to know."

Kirin brought his chopsticks to attack position. "You wish for a fight? I do not fight an enemy just because he enters my chambers and announces himself. I am a prince and I do not fight needlessly or without just cause! If you wish to challenge me, submit a formal letter of challenge!"

Pride radiated from his words and filled him with a sense of courage and dignity. He wasn't a street fighter or brawler. If anything this man should have the decency to follow the commonly practiced code for martial arts duels.

If the villain held a look of surprise on his face due to the prince's strong retort, the dark shadow did a fine job in covering it. For a moment the room was utterly silent, as if the invader had been taken aback by his words. It was a small victory for Kirin and showed him that this person could be thrown off guard, if by words then certainly by physical blows as well.

The cloaked man took a few steps forward, gazing at the prince with veiled eyes that shone crimson. "If I recall, you didn't need a 'just cause' to try and destroy Ranma after you took his woman. Did you, prince? Admit it! A part of you desired to destroy him just for the sake of your own foolish pride! Even after you found out that Akane was not the rightful owner of that scroll you still continued on with your stubborn plan. You denied the truth to yourself because your desire to defeat an arrogant opponent like Ranma was far too intoxicating to ignore! I understand your type of weakness all too well!"

Kirin was taken aback. "How did you know about that?"

"You question and yet do not think about my words!" There was a slight trace of a snarl in his voice. He took a couple more steps forward. -That is what makes you weak!-

Kirin snorted. "You think you know so much."

"Of course. These 'princely' virtues you take such pride in are the very faults that cost you that battle to begin with. The desire to crush Ranma still lurks in your mind. You cannot hide that fact from me. The truth is right there and yet you seem to run from it. If you weren't so pathetic you wouldn't have lost that battle to begin with."

Kirin snorted. "Ridiculous." He wondered if his words lacked the uncertainty that he felt within the confines of his mind.

"Is it?" the Warrior challenged. "He took what you wanted, destroyed your palace, and defeated you utterly. Your little ego must have taken a sound beating from all that. I bet that memory was hard to overcome, wasn't it?"

"You will not goad me into a fight," Kirin said firmly.

"Then consider this instead. If I let you live or not will depend on how well you fight. If you refuse me, then you will leave me no choice but to tear apart your body in front of your wife. One can only imagine how that would affect her mentally."

Kirin couldn't believe the maliciousness of the intruder's words. His eyes widened in undiluted anger at his foe's threat. "What?!"

The Warrior knew he had the prince right where he wanted him. "How delicious that would be. The naïve little tart sleeping so soundly downstairs would never be the same again! But don't worry, from what I'm told, our country has several outstanding mental asylums. She could go there and enjoy sleepless nights, screaming as she replayed the visions of your death over and over within her shattered little mind."

Kirin was filled with such rage upon hearing these words that it left no room at all for rational thought. This was certainly the intruder's intent. In seconds the young prince was too far gone to understand the nature of the trap he'd so accurately predicted mere minutes before as his hot blooded youth got the better of his senses. His judgment clouded over like a black storm and anger seized his mind with a powerful fist. The sheer audacity of the shadow's spoken statement chilled him to the core as he visualized such actions being performed on his innocent, loving wife.

"How dare you say such things! In all of my nineteen years of life I have never been as enraged as I am now! I will not tolerate hearing you spouting trash and nonsense about my wife! See what your lack of respect has brought upon you!"

His angry words foretold the coming of his attack. To his utter astonishment he thought he heard his enemy sigh with contentment. No matter, this warrior would soon come to regret his actions. Concentrating, Kirin took up his all too familiar stance and summoned his great reserve of power. It readily moved at his command, swirling over his body and into his chopsticks like liquid fire. With a deafening scream of rage, he hurled one hundred glowing yellow chopstick like-projectile beams at the still unmoving figure. His final attack had always been strong, enough to even fell Ranma once. It would do its ghastly work with great efficiency.

The beams connected spectacularly and multiple explosions occurred as the energy cut into the stone floor and walls of the chamber, causing the palace's very structure to tremble. The resulting explosions shattered the wall where the figure was standing, opening the room to the star filled sky. Kirin's rug was sucked out into the dark night but he made no move to grab it. He could not let himself get distracted just yet, not until he was sure his target had been defeated.

Smoke filled the room, forcing him to shield his eyes. Particles of dust lodged themselves in his lungs and he coughed uncontrollably, beating his hand on his chest. Thankfully, the smoke vented quickly thanks to the large hole he had just created, dispersing it out into the chilly mountain air. Squinting into the settling dust, Kirin dared not to lower his defensive position. The moonlight would illuminate the room and his target, if he was still alive.

Screams of fear and confusion could be heard below as the palace servants awoke and scampered around in panic, fearing an attack. The whole kingdom seemed to be moving at once as fear seized their drowsy minds. In the distance he could hear Bishomoten, one of his Lucky God warriors, bark out orders to the palace workers. His voice grew louder as he ran up towards the castle.

The room was soon completely clear, visibility restored by the wind's snatching grasp. What he saw drained the blood from his face. The man stood exactly as he had before, completely untouched. Even though the light of the moon shone on his body, nothing could be seen but the shimmering gray blur that continued to cloud his body like a pestilence. His right arm was stretched outward, palm facing out as if warding something off. His hand seemed to be smoking, yet no sound of pain came from his covered lips. Somehow, he had managed to block the attack with a mere raise of his hand.

_So that's it!_ Kirin thought. _He's masked his appearance with his energy! It's a relatively easy trick to master, but why would he want to hide his identity? I can't make out his features, which means I'm no better off than I was before! More importantly, how did he manage to block my strongest attack without having his arm torn off at the elbow!? It's impossible!_

The shadow covered man laughed in amusement. "Good! Very good indeed! Your energy projection is even stronger than I first thought! I'm not ashamed to admit that it even stung a bit! However, I am a trifle disappointed in your actions. Only a fool wastes all his energy on an all or nothing attack so early in a battle. I understand completely now how Ranma defeated you so easily."

He took a step forward and Kirin found himself moving back, pressing against the far wall behind him as his nerves of steel finally broke. His enemy raised his hand again, waving casually. "Now, allow me to give you a demonstration on what a true final attack should look like!"

Kirin stared in dumbfound shock. "Wha-?"

The Warrior cocked his head back slightly, his voice almost purring. "Blood Lance!"

Before Kirin could even rise up to a blocking position, a beam of red energy struck out from the warrior's raised hand and slammed into his chest with the force of a battering ram. He felt ribs shattering like glass. The blast crushed the startled boy into the wall with such great force that he nearly went through it. He cried out in pain as he rebounded off the stone and crumbled in a heap on the floor. The fight had truly ended before it could even truly begin.

_I've never been hit by something so strong before._ He tried to make his lifeless limbs work as he shuddered, withering on the ground. A wave of panic rose up inside him. _That attack has left me drained!_

He struggled without success to clear the spots from his vision. Using all his concentration, he mashed his teeth together and brought himself up to a kneeling position, trembling with exertion. This simple movement was almost impossible and it felt as if a thousand pounds was stacked upon his shoulders. He groaned and struggled to stand. He couldn't allow himself to give up. His honor would not be sullied a second time.

_I can't lose! Not again…_

A cold metallic hand on his forehead stopped his movements. His opponent cared nothing about his personal pride or courage as his laughter clearly depicted. Kirin struggled for a moment like a wounded dog but in the end it was all he could do to clutch at the ground, grunting in frustration.

"I will spare your life, pathetic as you are. Don't worry, I won't finish you off. I think you should be allowed to wallow in self-hatred at being defeated twice in a row. A fate worse than death, that. What I will do is take the knowledge on how to perform your final attack as a memento of this clearly one-sided and rather unimportant battle."

Kirin made a sound in the back of his throat and grabbed at his opponent's wrist, lacking the strength to pry him free but trying regardless. The Warrior shook his head. - "You are a petty fool who isn't even worthy of killing. How shameful. Stop your struggling or I'll take your arm off at the shoulder and beat you with it."

The metallic hand against Kirin's forehead glowed blood red as he searched through the fallen Prince's mind like an open book. Kirin screamed as his vision also turned red, momentarily blinding him and leaving him helpless even to see his own fate. A new set of screams left his lungs as he felt the knowledge the man was searching for tear from his brain in the most excruciating manner. This caused a stronger wave of pain to course through his nervous system, torturing his body to the core.

"I've lost… again…" The unfortunate boy felt the last of his pride flicker and die away. Finally, he fell into the merciful arms of unconsciousness. His body fell to the ground at the Warrior's feet and went still.

The man removed his hand and stepped away. "Farewell, prince."

He looked down at the stricken man and chuckled. It had been far too easy an exercise but that was good sign in itself. It showed that his training hadn't been a waste. He reminded himself that he'd need even greater strength in the weeks to come. Oh there was so much yet to do, so much left to accomplish! He turned his back and headed for the large hole in the tower, already forgetting about his vanquished foe.

Behind his mask, the warrior grinned, allowing himself a moment to enjoy his victory.

"You're next, Prince Toma. I hope for your sake that you prove to be more entertaining." With that, the man vanished into the night as silently as he had come, tendrils of black energy dragging his body away into teleport.

* * *

Following the explosions, the palace occupants had worked themselves up into a state of frenzy. Lychee awoke quickly and sounded the palace alarm, rousing Kirin's guards and the Six Lucky Gods. One by one, they ran up to the palace steps, prepared for battle. She tried her best to remain calm and organized a search for her missing husband. Under her guidance the frantic citizens combed every inch of the impressive castle, calling out their lord's name. Special trackers looked high and low for clues or traces of Kirin's whereabouts both within the castle grounds and the surrounding area with no more luck than anyone else.

After the rest of the castle had been checked, a final party was organized to check the meditation chamber itself. Flying up the stairs with the Lucky Gods in tow, Lychee threw open the door and saw her husband lying on the floor on the outskirts of the destroyed room in a broken, unmoving heap. She felt her heart freeze as Monron let out a strangled gasp from behind her.

"Kirin! No!" She screamed out in terror, running to him and cradling his body to her chest. "Open your eyes, darling! Please, open your eyes!" She sobbed loudly, momentarily bringing Kirin back into consciousness as her tears fell upon his cheeks. He slowly opened his eyes, gazing up at her as if she were the angel of mercy herself.

"Someone bring the doctors, Master Kirin needs medical attention!" Bishomoten cried the order out, waving his hand toward the nearest soldier. Moments later, a team of medical personnel flew up the stairs and quickly put the young man in a makeshift stretcher. Kirin passed out once more as they carefully went back down the stairs, trying unsuccessfully to keep his wounded body still.

The next thing Kirin noticed was that he was lying on his bed, surrounded by a team of frantically working doctors. He cursed fate, wishing desperately for blackness to take him again, at least until their work was over. Seconds past like hundreds of years and he gave a half choked scream as his ribs were bound tightly. He vaguely heard one of the other doctors tell his coworker the extent of his damage. One simple attack had left him with six broken ribs and a dislocated arm. If he wasn't in so much pain, he might have found that to be astounding.

"Darling, I'm here!" Lichee called loudly, grabbing his attention, taking his hand in her own.

He looked up at his wife as his teeth clenched hard enough to draw blood. "Pain... hurts too much..."

Tears streamed down Lychee's face as she whispered reassurance to her husband, never leaving his side throughout the entire ordeal. Lost in a sea of agony, Kirin once again succumbed to the bliss of nothingness, thanking every god his darkening mind could come up with.

* * *

One day later:

Kirin groaned and slowly opened his eyes, blinking back spots that the intrusive light of the room created. The fire that had been blazing in his mind had been replaced by a gaping hole that had once held important knowledge and he felt a complete sense of violation. He was lying in his bed while his ever faithful wife knelt on the floor beside him. The Six Lucky Gods stood beside her with guilt and sadness evident on their faces. Even Muu, the fattest and least intelligent of his warrior's, seemed down-heartened.

"Kirin!" Lychee cried tears of joy and took his hand in her own. -Thank the Gods your alive! We had begun to think we'd lose you!- She embraced him in a gentle hug and he cried out as her hand crossed over several of his broken ribs that had been recently bound. Guilt took possession of her features and she removed her hands, offering a look of apology.

"How long was I out?" He asked groggily, slowly rising to a sitting position, wincing as he remembered his damaged ribs.

"Three days," Monron replied. "You were in terrible shape, Master! Who on earth did this to you?"

Kirin looked down at his wrapped torso. "I'm not really sure who did this. The man masked himself in an energy cloud so his features were unreadable. He was very, very strong, inhumanly so! He defeated me then stole all my memories on our school's secret techniques and then vanished into the night. I don't remember anything after that."

Lychee gasped. "You lost to Ranma and came away in fair condition! We thought he was the strongest martial artist! What monster could possibly have the strength to..."

She dropped off in mid-sentence as a look of anger and personal hatred crossed his face. "Oh! I...I didn't know that memory still caused you pain," she stammered.

Kirin looked deep into her eyes and reached for her hand once more. He gave it a gentle squeeze, shaking his head. "Do not be troubled. It is high past time for me to put such memories behind me. I have a bad habit of brooding over the past."

He knew he was right. The intense emotions that had been causing his insomnia had diminished significantly. Weather it was a sudden decision brought on by his subconscious or a side effect of the Warrior's mind probe, there was no way to be certain. He felt much better given the circumstances, and chided himself for the cross look he had just given his wife.

Ebiten bowed his head in shame. "We should have been there master," he said.

"We should have protected you. We failed to be there when you needed us the most, just as we failed to protect you when you fought Ranma."

Kirin placed his hand on the short man's shoulder. "Do not say such things! There was no way you could have known I was in danger and even if you had overheard the battle, you wouldn't have arrived in time to help. This man is far stronger than anyone I have ever seen or fought before. I fear he will cause havoc elsewhere. He mentioned studying fighters from all around the world. If this is true, Ranma must be somewhere on his list. I'm sure of it! Somehow, this will involve him."

Kirin looked down at his midget warrior. "I have a mission for you, my friend. Go to Japan. Report back here to me at once if you should find any news about this Shadow Warrior. We'll figure out our next course of action following that."

Ebiten bowed. "As you wish, sire." He turned to leave then suddenly snapped his fingers and walked back over to the bed.

"I almost forgot!" He pulled Kirin's rug out from under his shirt. "I found this on my way up the palace."

The Prince accepted it gratefully. Gazing over it, he smiled in thanks as his mood lifted considerably. His personal treasure had suffered no damage, praise be to the Gods. One good washing and it would be good as new. This and the relief that a good day of rest had brought him, only made him smile all the more.

As Ebiten left, the remaining warriors bowed and departed as well. They had volunteered to lead the repair detail to fix the damage done to the castle and the sooner the work was started, the better. Only Muu remained behind for his task was of a different sort. He had been selected as a guard to see to it that his master wasn't disturbed during his crucial period of recovery. He used his considerable girth to effectively block the entrance to the room. His stupidity was rivaled only by his love and devotion to his master, and Kirin smiled at the warrior's back, radiating affection for the big oaf.

Lychee gently climbed into bed beside her beloved husband and took him gently into her arms. Whispering words of love, she held him, soothing his body and soul with her words and her kisses until sleep carried him away from reality and its searing pain.

For the second time in so very long, he slept blissfully, unaware of the true disasters that were to come. While he rested, the sinister force he'd fallen victim to moved swiftly towards his next target. The nightmare was coming, and nothing, human or otherwise, could stop it.

A cold truth had yet to be discovered and yet it came on silently all the same. Lives would be forever changed due to one man's blazing desire for revenge.


	3. Akane's Rage And The Misguided Suitors

Chapter two: Akane's Rage and the Misguided Suitors.

Teenage martial artist Ranma Saotome lay on his futon, sleeping peacefully. Morning descended upon Tokyo as he snored away, promising yet another busy day of activity and strange occurrences. It was seven forty a.m. Friday morning and the Tendo household was already bustling with activity. The occupants of the large training hall had set a up a routine for themselves over the year or so since Ranma and his father had come to live there and today they were going about it just as they had every other day: Akane and Nabiki were getting ready for school in their rooms, Genma and Soun were sitting in the open hallway playing their never ending game of Shogi, and Ranma was sleeping in far too long, as usual.

A soft, musical tune could be heard from the kitchen as Kasumi prepared breakfast, filling the house with a delicious, mouth-watering aroma. The only family member absent from the household was Ranma's mother, Nadoka. Her mother had fallen ill and she had gone to a small town just outside of Sapporo to take care of her until the worst of it had passed.

Nadoka had been staying with the Tendo's ever since she had found out about her son and husband's secret about four months prior. Her house had been destroyed during one of the usual mishaps that surrounded Ranma's life, and Soun had generously allowed her to move in to be with her husband and son, reunited the Saotome family for the first time in over a decade. While this didn't do anything to slow down the insanity of their lives, it was soon apparent that no one welcomed this change more than Ranma. A mother's influence in his life was what he desperately needed despite his unconvincing protests otherwise.

Ranma's hyper sensitive nose breathed in the aroma from the kitchen, causing his brain to kick start into awareness. This dragged him out of a deep, restful sleep. "Breakfast…?"

Yawning loudly, he jumped up, stretched for a few moments before slipping into his regular red shirt with wooden buttons down the center and then a pair of blue pants. Flicking his pigtail off his shoulder with his thumb, Ranma felt ready to face another day. He opened the door to the room his family was using, inhaling the delicious scent that hung in the air for a second time.

Making his way down the short hall to the stairs he made some minute corrections to his clothing, rolling his sleeves up to just past his wrist. He never liked having to dress like everyone else so school uniforms were naturally out of the question now that he was in high school. He was just too high spirited and original to be assimilated into the regular Japanese school society. No one dared to try and stop him so the school faculty just overlooked the minor problem with helpless exasperation. His clothing served as a symbol for who he was, though he probably never contemplated it at so deep a level. In his mind it was just an act of stubbornness and determination to rebel.

Buttoning the wooden button's on his shirt, Ranma grabbed his school bag from its resting place on a table by the banister and hopped down the stairs two at a time. He eagerly bounced into the dining room, knowing a delicious meal awaited his growling, bottomless stomach. Cheerful as he ever was with a meal awaiting his consumption, his eyes naturally zeroed in on his father, who would surely fight him for his food at some point that morning. Genma met his look and the two exchanged glances one might normally see two warriors exchange before they fought a match in a ring.

"Mornin' everybody!" The teen sat down at the kitchen table.

Soun acknowledged him with a nod but continued to concentrate on the game at hand; sweating slightly as he contemplated the strategic pinch he was currently in. Genma waved turned back around, taking a puff from his thin tobacco pipe and pushing smoke high into the morning sky as he analyzed the board.

Soon after, Akane and Nabiki filed down into the dining room and took their assigned places at the large table, equally hungry but far less vocal about it than Ranma. As was custom, everyone took to their assigned seating spots as Kasumi brought in breakfast. The men of the household came last, reluctantly putting their game aside to join their family at the table.

As usual, Genma and Ranma began to wolf down their food savagely, all the while ignoring the annoyed glances from Nabiki and Akane. Soun paid them no heed and just sat silently, flipping through the morning paper and occasionally taking in a bite of food. He carefully concealed his disgust at Ranma's appalling table manners. Perhaps when they were married, Akane would set him straight. One could only hope.

Suddenly something caught his eye that made the thought of table manners slip from his mind. After reading intensely for several minutes he turned to look at the youth, grabbing him by the shoulder. "Ranma, look at this!"

He dropped the paper in front of the boy, and while Ranma didn't know it at the time, Soun had effectively delivered the first warning of the life threatening situation that was soon to plague his life as well.

Ranma picked up the paper while sipping a glass of tea. He instantly saw the cause of Soun's alarm. The headline chilled him to the core.

**Chinese lord attacked in Nekonron by a mysterious intruder!**

He spit out the tea that had been in his mouth, soaking Genma and transforming him into a panda almost instantly. The perturbed father whacked his son over the head with a sign that said: [GROSS!]

"I'm sorry, ok?! This just took me by surprise," Ranma cried, dodging another sign attack from the angry bear.

[WHATEVER.] Grumbling angrily, the panda stomped out of the room to take a hot bath and regain his human form.

Returning his attention to the matter at hand, Ranma continued to scan the article, a bit more frantically this time, reading aloud. "Despite area searches by both Nekonron and Chinese police and militia forces, no traces of the assailant have been found. The suspect is still at large and possibly hiding in the mountains to the east of the Musk Dynasty."

For a moment he sat there in stunned silence, grasping the paper tightly. Then he abruptly tossed it down beside his plate, returning his attention to the helpless food that lay before him. When he was finished with it, he snatched Genma's food and proceeded to finish it off as well with the same rabid enthusiasm. Any reaction to the news he had just read was gone from his face, replaced with a look of casual neutrality.

"You know, you don't look very worried," Nabiki commented evenly, resting her chin on one delicate hand.

Ranma shrugged and swallowed a mouthful of rice. "It sucks but there isn't anything I can do. I can't just take another airship ride to Nekonron or anything."

When he didn't offer to let her read, Akane grabbed the paper and read the remainder of the article herself. "I hope he'll be ok," she whispered with concern. An unhappy frown creased her lips and her eyes shone with worry.

Ranma snapped out of his food-destroying mode and resumed his regular rude and cocky attitude. He wouldn't admit it but the worried tone in her voice seriously pissed him off. After all, he had almost lost his life several times as he'd fought his way up to Kirin's palace to free her. What was more, Kirin had come dangerously close to taking over Akane's life completely. He didn't have much pity given the facts. But regardless of said truths, Ranma Saotome never really needed a reason to be a complete and total jerk.

"Don't tell me you're actually worried about a loser that kidnapped you and came within an inch of forcing you to marry him Akane!" He folded his arms across his chest, leaning back to stare at her incredulously.

"Oh, are you jealous, Ranma? Honestly! At least he had the guts to admit his true feelings for me. This, if I recall, is far more than I can say for you!" She shot him a hard, challenging look, daring him to retort.

"Feh, whatever!" Ranma huffed, crossing his arms and turning his head away. "I can't admit to feeling something that I don't."

Akane blew out an angry breath and turned her head away so she wouldn't have to look at him. Why did he have to go and get her annoyed all the time with his childish antics? Kirin and Ranma may have fought savagely but she had been under the impression that the two had parted as friends or at the very least friendly rivals. How could he be so cold and heartless when a person they knew had been brutally attacked? What's more, Ranma was treating the incident like it was nothing when Kirin could be in the hospital suffering from an untold number of injuries.

"Why would I be jealous anyways?" Ranma asked, snapping her out of her thought trance and adding fuel to the raging fire in her mind. "You are so un-cute! Plus you're a tomboy but we all know that already. I'd say that doesn't leave me much to be jealous over, don't you?"

"What did you call me?! I'm so _sick _of you calling me a tomboy all the time! At least Kirin was brought up with manners and taste! I wish a bit of his refined charm had rubbed off onto you! What about the times you called me attractive?! Forget about that?!" She struggled to control herself, and it took all she had to not beat his brains in.

"What I really want to know is who said I was even _remotely _attracted to you in the first place? Those words never came out of my mouth, I'll tell you that much."

Her eyes narrowed with seething anger but she could no longer keep the hurt out of her voice. "It was when I was in the wedding dress. You know, like two months ago? I believe your words were 'You look really beautiful Akane'. Honestly Ranma, sometimes you're really a moron."

He felt her words backing him into a corner and he lashed out in an effort to save face as the eyes of the Tendo household bore into him. "Jeez, Akane, you're far from perfect yourself! Maybe I should go ahead and secure my engagement to Ukyo seeing as she's twice the woman you are!"

That hurt Akane deeply, but it wasn't the first. He had hurt her before, always to the point where her heart felt like it was being torn apart inside her breast. She knew he often spoke without thinking. She had come to expect it. That was just the way he was. But it was still no excuse for such a low blow. He knew her feelings and he especially understood how she felt about his little female fan group. He had purposely brought that up to get to her, hoping to really make her mad.

It worked. She grabbed her trusty wooden mallet and slammed it down on his head with the force of a falling redwood tree. "Ranma, you jerk! I _hate _you!"

The word cut through Ranma like a knife through his heart and gave pause to any retort he might have otherwise used, just as it had every other time. This time however, it hurt just a little bit more, made him feel just a little bit sadder. He sighed almost inaudibly as he assessed the situation, not even attempting to remove her weapon of revenge from his face. Why did he push her so with his teasing? Why did he take both pleasure and pain from her discomfort and sadness?

The hammer planted into his face. An explosion of pain burst in front of his eyes.

The rest of the household ignored this particularly brutal fiasco. They had gotten quite used to the near constant fighting between the two long ago. They ate in silence, keeping their eyes on the plate in front of them and waiting for the storm to die down. Soun continued to eye the paper he'd snatched back when the two started fighting. His only response to the incident came in the form of a quiet, almost inaudible sigh.

Ranma dove deeper into his own self musing as he worked to escape the pain of her attack. He might bully Akane, but didn't she always respond rashly and impulsively too? How many times had he been forced to endure bodily injury because of her? If anything, he realized suddenly, she was at least half responsible for everything.

"Run out of things to say, Ranma? Did I finally knock some sense into your thick skull?"

With a backwards heave he removed his face from Akane's mallet and tried to stifle his own rising anger as it bubbled to the surface. "Why you!"

Akane gave him an evil stare then walked out of the room with her arms crossed. "Hmph! I don't have time for this! I'll be late for school."

"Un-cute tomboy," he muttered, putting his head in his hands, letting his anger drain away as quickly as it had come. Another mallet whistled through the air and slammed into the side of his head, forming a large bump that quickly swelled to painful proportions. "Owww!"

Akane's voiced trailed back to his ears as the irate girl walked upstairs to retrieve her school bag. "I heard that, Ranma! Just shut up for once!"

He muttered something unintelligible under his breath and stood up from the table. "I'm goin' to school," he yelled, louder than necessary. Stomping out the hallway, he jammed his feet into his black slip-on martial arts shoes. Turning to glare up the stairs he sprinted out the door, feeling the cool air sting the skin where he had been injured.

Akane and Nabiki gathered their things and followed soon after. As Kasumi cheerfully started to clean the dishes, Soun put down his newspaper and sighed deeply, casting his gaze out at the Koi pond as it gently reflected the sun's warm rays across its surface.

_It's shaping up to be just another regular day._ He lit a cigarette to ease his troubled nerves. "Kasumi, do we have any Tylenol left?"

* * *

Ranma's head start had come to an end when the old women down the street caught him with a scoop of water she'd been spreading out across the street. A quick visit to Dr. Tofu's had provided Ranma the hot water he'd needed, but by the time he resumed his walk to school Akane and Nabiki had caught up.

Nabiki went ahead to school to take care of some outstanding debts some people owed her before the final school bell rang. This left Ranma and Akane to walk silently by beside one another, both refusing to make eye contact with the other. It was a childish routine, the same one they had been dancing to for far too long now. Fellow classmates passed them on the way, laughing at the tell-tale signs that the two displayed after they fought. Flushing with embarrassment, Akane's anger tripled in magnitude.

Ranma slowed his walk and looked at his still fuming fiancée' in wonder. It never ceased to amaze him how long she could stay mad. He realized suddenly that she was angry a great deal of the time, probably half the time he'd known her at least. It was a wonder she didn't have health issues because of it.

_Man, it ain't my fault she gets angry and violent all the time! Still... I guess I did get outta' hand this morning. This incident with Kirin must be upsetting her more than she's letting on. Bringing up Ukyo was a really stupid thing to do too. Damn it! Why can't I keep my mouth shut?!_

He kicked himself mentally and sighed, looking down at her, his steel blue eyes softening visibly.

He cleared his throat. "Ummm… Akane, look, about what happened at breakfast… I, uh..."

"Save it," Akane growled, cutting him off without looking up at him. "I couldn't care less about what you have to say you... you perverted cross-dresser! Go on! Go be with Ukyo, she's such a _great _woman remember!?"

The distraught girl took off down the street towards Furinkan at a fast sprint. Hot angry tears streamed down her cheeks, falling to the pavement behind her. The sound of her sobs found their way to his ears as guilt stabbed into his heart over and over again.

_Well, so much for a restart on the morning pleasantries!_ "You dummy! I was tryin' to apologize," he called after her. He was hoping she would stop to retort but for once she didn't take the bait and ran into the school, ignoring the concerned expressions of her friends as they stopped to greet her.

"Damn, damn damn damn damn!" Sighing heavily, he shoved his hands into his pants pockets and continued walking with a scowl on his face. Frustration welled up inside of him until it got to the point where he just wanted to scream. He always ended up feeling like crap when he hurt Akane's feelings. Kicking a rock savagely, he approached Furinkan's main gate. His moral dropped even further at the idea of spending an entire day cooped up at a desk.

He sighed. "At least things can't get any worse."

"Ranma Saotome, prepare for death! Thou have entered the den of the lion!"

"I was so wrong." Ranma groaned and held his face in his hand. "Why the hell do these things always happen to me?"

He turned to see his samurai-wannabe nemesis, the tall, brown eyed and as handsome as he was stupid Tatiwake Kuno who stood before the main gate with his bokken at the ready. Having all the bravery but none of the intelligence of the sword wielding warriors of old, Ranma had a hard time taking him seriously. It might have been because Kuno currently looked so cocky despite the cuts and scrapes that adorned his face, given to him from their previous scuffle the day before. Ranma was sure his older rival was just stupid enough to forget about his own defeats time after time. It was either that or he was a glutton for continual punishment.

"Come on, Kuno! I ain't in the mood to play today! Besides, I don't feel like getting energy drained by Miss Hinako for being late to class again!"

His point was justified; the woman seemed to love to single him out for "student correction" on a daily basis.

"You seek to escape? Never! I, Tatiwake Kuno, feared by many as the 'Blue Thunder' of Furinkan High, will not allow it! The art of fleeing may be your specialty, but I will act as the solid door of vengeful justice and lock you in!"

"Kuno, I kick your butt every day! Don't you ever get tired of it?!" He dropped his bag to free up his hands for the fight he felt sure was becoming unavoidable.

"Talking will not get you out of your punishment, Saotome. The vengeance of heaven is slow but sure! However, if you agree to release your hold on my two beloved girls, then I will let you pass unscathed. Refuse and you will taste my wrath in battle!"

Ranma dropped into a low combat stance. _Oh well, maybe now I can take out a little of my frustration._ "Ok, upperclassman 'totally warped blue buffoon', let's get this over with."

"You mock my name and title as Blue thunder? Ha! You speak such bold words for a spineless cretin. Alas, thy jests have no effect on the mighty Kuno. Let's do this!"

He grinned, holding his wooden blade up against the light of the early morning sun. If his ego had been a weapon it would have hit Ranma from a mile away.

"Who are you calling spineless?!" Ranma jumped up and kicked Kuno solidly in the face, leaving behind a noticeable footprint mark and a fair amount of pain to boot. Kuno backed up, rubbing his face with a mixture of anger and frustration.

Ranma rebounded backwards, loosened up his muscles, and performing a few quick stretches. "Bet you'll feel that one later in the day! Are we done yet? This can still end without you going to class with the taste of pavement in your mouth."

"Such weak attacks have no effect on me! Hear me! Today is the day I take my women from your poisoned grasp! Prepare yourself!"

"Prepare myself for what? A nap? I can dodge your attacks in my sleep."

Undeterred, Kuno dropped into his final attack position: feet shoulder width apart, sword held low at his side. He lunged forward, swinging his weapon at blinding speed. The blade seemed to come at Ranma from every direction at once and yet he dodged these intensely quick strikes with ease. As fast as Kuno was, his swings were still absurdly predicable.

Beside them, a statue of the demented principle who just so happened to be the swordsman's father, shattered from the powerful winds created by the swings of the wooden sword. A group of passing students cheered and pointed. Ranma grudgingly admitted that the attack did serve a practical purpose after all.

One thing that had increased was Kuno's endurance. Almost a year of battling had increased his stamina considerably. Whereas the attack had lasted on a few seconds the first time he used it, Kuno was now able to attack unrelentingly for almost a minute. Ranma was forced to give ground and he acrobatically fell back across the front of the campus, dodging strikes too fast for most of the students to even see.

"Say Kuno, ain't it about time you learned a new technique or two? You never beat me with that move the first time we fought so why in the world would it work now?"

"This time-"

"Concrete time. Nom nom." Ranma waited for an opening in Kuno's attack to appear then round-house kicked him in the head again, knocking the now unconscious warrior to the ground face-first.

_Good, now that that's done…_ Dusting himself off, Ranma continued walking through the front gate and into the courtyard. The warning bell rang, signaling that the students had only a few moments more to find their way to their classroom seats. Ranma quickened his pace, glad for the chance to finally make it to class on time.

Suddenly, several large chains with large spiked balls at the end flew down at his feet, smashing the pavement with a loud metallic clash. He skidded to a halt faster than his attacker had predicted and, after performing a back-roll, avoided a second set of spike-headed chains as they too plunged to the ground. A growl from the treetops hovering over the school cursed Ranma's amazing agility.

Ranma sighed, scratching an itch on his cheek. "Mousse! Come on out! Let's get this over with."

"Saotome, release your vile hold on Shampoo!" Mousse flipped down from a tree and landed with the grace of a gymnast between his target and the school. His long black hair swayed gently in the wind as his ice blue eyes sized Ranma up with contempt.

Ranma moaned and looked up at the heavens imploringly. He knew someone up there didn't like him very much. He could almost hear the laughter. "Mousse, I told you a million times, I don't like Shampoo as anything more than a friend! Ok!? Just leave me alone!"

"Liar!" Mousse shook his fist at a nearby rose bush. "You may be able to fool others with your evil lies, but I'm different! Prepare to die!"

"Put your glasses on you jerk! I'm over here!"

Mousse slid his coke bottle glasses on his nose and turned around, trying without success to maintain his threatening pose. Unfortunately for him, a near blind martial artist with giant glasses was about as intimidating to Ranma as a Pokemon.

"Fight me like a man, Ranma!"

"If you insist! Just remember that you asked for it." He curled his hand into a fist. _Damn, I'm really getting sick of this day after day!_

Mousse flung out his arms. "When I'm done with you, you'll be asking for a hospital visit!"

"After dealing with guys like you every day maybe it'll be a mental hospital!" Ranma dodged to the left as a dozen sharp ended chains flew past him. Despite being nearly blind, the Chinese boy somehow had impeccable aim. The attack was followed up with ten knives which he pulled from the depths of his robes and threw with equally deadly accuracy. Ranma effortlessly caught them in midair and tossed them to the ground.

A sneer crossed his face. "Come on Mousse! Don't you ever get tired of losing?"

"I won't lose this time! Fist of the White Swan!" Mousse swung his arm at blinding speed, knocking Ranma off balance with a well-placed blow to the cheek. The move was considerably fast, far faster than it had been in the past. Mousse must have been working out to prepare for the battle ahead of time.

Ranma's eye's narrowed as he caught his balance and shifted into a new stance. This would be a dangerous signal to any observant man. Unfortunately, Mousse wasn't as observant as he should have been. It was a mistake to put Ranma in a foul mood, especially after the morning disaster with Akane. "Now you've done it!"

Mousse paid the comment no heed and attempted to finish the fight without thinking things through. Ranma had noticed this was very common among all his foes and, surprise, surprise, always led to their defeat. The Chinese warrior pulled a series of knives from his robes and flung them with all his might followed by a duck-shaped training potty.

"Where in the hell do you _put_ all this junk!?" Ranma dove to his right side to avoid the unusual projectile. Mousse had the uncanny ability to conceal even the largest of objects in his robes. It was no wonder he was the master of hidden weapons. It was one ability Ranma felt obligated to admire.

Mousse hurled his extensive collection of chains next, strand after strand topped with iron balls or sharp points. Ranma dodged, weaving and spinning until the storm of iron ceased. He snarled, weaved inside Mousse's defenses and raised his fist, about to land a punishing blow to the unfortunate warrior when suddenly his face brightened and he halted in mid-pose.

"Hi, Shampoo," he said, looking over Mousse's shoulder. "Mousse, look, here she comes!"

Mousse sneered. "Ha! I'm not that stupid, Saotome! You'll have to come up with something better than that! Your cheap tricks are for the weak. I'd even go so far to say-"

A familiar bell rung throughout the midmorning air as a bicycle wheel embedded itself snugly into Mousse's head. "Nihao, Ranma!"

Shampoo jumped down, ignoring Mousse as he lay comatose on the ground. She latched onto Ranma, pressing her toned, curved body against him and purred contently against his ear. This sent waves of shivers down his back that, try as he might to deny it, were not entirely unwelcome. It was hard to not be attracted to the buxom, purple-haired girl. Her lackluster grasp of the Japanese language notwithstanding, Shampoo knew how to be seductive as hell when she wanted to be.

"Ranma fight Mousse to date Shampoo? Ranma really do love Shampoo! I so happy!"

"It's not like that and you know it! Come on, let go!" Ranma tried to pry the Amazon cutie from his arm. "Shampoo! Let go! It was him who... I've got to get to class!"

Shampoo grudgingly released her hold on him. "What good book learn do Ranma anyway? All Ranma do in class is sleep! You date Shampoo after school then?" She wiggled seductively, long purple hair fluttering slightly.

"Well, I uh..."

At that moment the final bell rang out, saving Ranma from having to reply. "Damn! I'm late! I'll see you later Shampoo!" He took off for the school building at a dead sprint.

She sighed. _Why is he always avoiding me?_ She just didn't understand it! She always gave him nothing short of her absolute love and attention and he still refused her.

Her mood fouled. _What could Ranma possible see in that Akane witch anyways?! What does the short-haired girl possibly offer him that I couldn't? I don't understand._

She sighed again and turned to see Mousse slowly rising to his feet, rubbing his head. "Mousse, how many time Shampoo tell you?! You no win against Ranma! Stop trying!"

"But, Shampoo," he protested, "I did it for you! I was trying to prove my love for you! Why do you always chase after a man who will never love you and deny one who does?"

Shampoo grimaced and decided to sidestep the painful question for the time being. "Mousse you too, too stubborn. Here." She offered a hand. "I help you home. Work start soon."

She took his arm and placed it around her neck. She had been the one that injured him so she felt obligated to do so. Grabbing her bike with her other hand, she towed it along in midair using her impressive strength.

Mousse smiled happily to himself as they slowly made their way back to the Neko Haunten. She may not admit it, but Shampoo was actually worried for him. Mousse counted his victories where he could, no matter how slight. If she was worried there was potential for things to develop from there. Clinging tightly to this hope, he enjoyed the closeness of Shampoo as she helped him home.

* * *

Ranma was late to class and was instructed to go stand in the hall and balance a water bucket on his head as punishment. Humiliating as it was, it sure beat getting energy drained. Pointing at him as he left the classroom, Miss Hinako gave the class several reasons why Ranma wasn't a good student and how to avoid becoming like him. The scene was embarrassing. To his credit, Ranma had faced such situations before and could deal with it better each time it occurred.

Akane gave him a disgusted look from her seat as he meekly left the classroom, ignoring the snickers and sneers of his peers. He stood in the hallway with a bucket of water in each hand and clenched his fists around the handles in frustration, once again fighting back the urge to destroy something. It hadn't been his fault for being late to class. Why then did he have to be punished for it?

_It wasn't my fault that I was late! If those two jerks had just given it a rest for once... _He slammed his fist holding one of the water buckets into the wall and instantly wished he hadn't. As he cradled his smarting right hand against his chest, the balanced bucket of water splashed up onto of him and activated his curse.

Now female, the irritated red head sighed and spit out a mouthful of water. "Great. Just great." She took off her top and sighed again, standing in the hallway with a wet tank top on.

_Today's turning out to be just another regular day_. She sighed glumly, wringing out her top.


	4. Shattering Togenkyo

Chapter Three: Shattering Togenkyo

_ The sea, endless in its blue as it touches the horizon, brushing against the clouds and the sun… falling upon the shores of some distant land._

Prince Toma yawned in boredom as he gazed out at the seemingly endless ocean through one of the many windows in his giant tree home. The small island kingdom of Togenkyo, his magical empire, rocked gently against the waves as if the mother sea were cradling the island as its own small child.

_Man, I'm so bored…_

In the waves around the island, a family of bottle nosed dolphins called out as the younger ones followed each other in a lively game of tag. In the sky a flock of seagulls landed on the Great Tree's many branches, resting after such a long journey across the infinite reaches of the blue. The island drew these animals and more as a testament of its magical powers. It was a haven from the wilds of the Pacific, peacefully keeping its existence secret from the majority of mankind with magical illusions.

Today promised to be a boring one, just dozen before that and the dozen before that. Toma had spent most of his life on this magical island, often bored out of his mind as any normal, cooped up child would be. Tapping his fingers incessantly on his wooden throne, he _pleaded _for something exciting to happen.

_I would trade my entire kingdom and everything in it if I could live a life like Ranma's. But then again, I had best not tease myself with such wishful thinking. I have certain obligations I must attend to. Dreaming about living a different life won't help my people._

At some point after meeting Ranma, the older boy had become Toma's role model. The youth believed that if he could be more like his former pig-tailed nemesis then his life would gain some measure of excitement. This ideal was not without merit. Ranma's life was never dull, to be sure. Toma's advisors were less than thrilled that he had chosen to emulate such an insufferable ruffian and had no trouble saying so. Their arguments were further sustained when it was pointed out that the great tree and most of the island had suffered damage because of Ranma and his friend's during their short stay.

Toma lazily tossed his sheathed sword into the air, catching it before it could hit the ground. _Yes, of course these thoughts are impossible. I am a prince and I have a duty to protect my people. I shouldn't be thinking about crazy adventures. I am being too selfish._

He rose from his throne and stretched his lithe body, cracking his neck and knuckles, ridding himself of stiffness. _Guess I'll perform my weekly inspection of the training grounds, it's not like I have anything better to do today._

Attaching his ancient ancestral sword to his side, Toma threw open the chamber doors and stepped out into the warm, tropical sunlight. Its gentle glow raised his mood as soothing warmth soaked into his body, drawing forth a light smile upon his lips. Snapping his fingers, he was instantly flanked by his three beast-men bodyguards who came out of the woodwork with inhuman speed. They walked in silence through the island's dense forest of palm trees, admiring the beautiful day, guarding their prince with skilled awareness even though everyone knew there were no threats to speak of on his island. What few natural predators had once lived on the island had long since been destroyed.

_I wonder what Ranma and Akane have been up to lately. I should pay them a visit sometime. That would be fun! Just like last time._

After losing Akane to Ranma, the two warriors had parted as friends after a free ride back to mainland Japan. Toma wasn't the type to hold a grudge and besides, during Ranma's stay on Togenkyo he hadn't been bored a single moment. As a counterbalance, Akane had humbled him greatly. As a result, Toma realized that he still had a lot of maturing to do before he even thought about marriage. It had been quite a lifestyle change consider that it had been his only goal up to that point.

Most of the men on his island had married the many maidens whom he had stolen from other islands to be used as bridal candidates. A majority of the women had resented them at first but constant effort and attention won their hearts one after another. His men were good-hearted souls and the women were treated with reverence and love. Marriages were held almost every day for over a record-breaking month. Romance and bliss returned to Togenkyo and now, a year later, the island was filled with cooing, crying babies, swelling the population to a greater number than it had ever known. In the years to come the father's would train their children to fight and serve Toma as well as they had. Thus the security and continued existence of Togenkyo would be secured for many generations to come.

Arriving at the round circular training area on the southeast tip of the island, Toma watched as the men sparred with a small measure of interest. This zone was as militaristic as he would allow. Training was conducted only in this area so that the overall peace and tranquility of the island would not be disturbed.

"They certainly have improved since last year. Wouldn't you agree, Salatoru?"

Yes, lord." The man/monkey nodded, taking a puff from his long tobacco pipe. His voice sounded amazing like a cheesy game show host on TV but most knew better than to cross him when he grew serious. His mastery of mind-altering images and illusions were impressive, second only to Toma himself. "I wonder what has inspired them to train so hard."

"That is quite obvious," the bird/man Torusan rasped from behind his wooden mask "They wish to be in top shape so that they can inspire their sons to be even stronger then themselves. It's a natural balance of sorts."

Wonton the dog/man just stared dumbly at his comrades, not understanding the topic at hand. He pulled a bone from his pocket and stuck it in his oversized mouth, 'woofing' happily. Toma reached up to scratch his head, chuckling despite himself.

"Togenkyo's guards are the finest in the Orient, my lord," Salatoru remarked, gestured to the training men with his pipe. "If their sons learn to fight as good as their fathers then we will be in fine shape. Any unwanted guests that show up next time won't fare so well as the last."

When the men saw their master was watching them, they increased the ferocity of their strikes in hopes of catching his attention to each of their own fighting skills. Halfhearted blows turned serious and swords clashed together sharply, drowning out the sounds of the ocean around them. Some of the heartiest turned to unarmed combat and wrestling. As they threw their opponents to the ground with audible thuds, sand kicked up high into the hot afternoon sky.

The fourteen-year-old stared at the sun as it climbed higher across that warm sky. Like most children his age, he soon grew bored and needed constant amusement to stay focused on a certain thing for any period of time. "Salatoru, stay and watch over the men. Wonton, Toristan, you two may return to your chambers. I am done here for the day."

The three men bowed respectfully as Toma departed back into the cool shade of his tree home. He fell onto his bed and stared longingly at the group photo of Ranma and his friends that was mounted on his wall. Feeling the gentle rock of the island upon the waters, he lay there for a few moments as his mind dwelled on the past.

His thoughts returned to those of his mother and he jumped up to look at a huge panting of her on the massive wall opposite of his bed. _Mother was so beautiful._ He smiled gently. _She was so kind and gentle. I wish you were still here with me; I know you would be pleased to see the man I've become._

A strong cold breeze sailed through Toma's home, causing the young prince to shiver and clutch at his arms, rubbing against the goose bumps that formed across his skin. _Strange, I don't remember it getting this cold in July…_

The breeze died down and the room once again warmed up. He was about to forget the strange matter entirely when suddenly a powerful, intangible aura rose up from out of nowhere and nearly knocked him off his feet. His eye's widened in barely concealed concern and he suddenly felt a tingle of fear for some strange reason. His heightened senses screamed at him from the confines of the back of his mind, urging extreme caution.

_Is this…a battle aura?! Yes, that's what it is, I can sense it! I've never felt anything so strong before!_

He turned away from the painting and scanned the room. _It couldn't be Ranma... could it? No, this feels sinister… almost unnaturally so._

"This cannot be Prince Toma of Togenkyo. I didn't know the ruler of this island was only a child. What a complete and utter disappointment." A deep voice rumbled throughout the room, startling the prince to his core.

Toma searched thru the chamber with his eyes, trying to find the source of the voice as his hand felt to the hilt of sword, drawing comfort from its firm metal frame. "Who's there!?"

His well-trained eyes fell on the doorway where a shadow of what he guessed was a man shimmered into existence. It couldn't be a shadow, he quickly deducted that much. The sunlight couldn't penetrate deep enough in the tree to cast enough light to form deep shadows of that nature and even if it could, nothing in his home even resembled such a shape. He guessed it was some kind of magical trick, perhaps an illusion.

With a wave of his hand, the shadow stepped forward. Behind him, the large stone door closed and locked behind him. Toma felt the hair's on the back of his neck prickle and stand on end. A cold hand had settled on his heart with a chilled ice grip, and he took a hesitant half step backwards. Every cell in his body screamed at him to run.

"I see you there. Who are you and why do you enter my chambers without permission?!" Toma had the suspicion that his day was about to take a wide U-turn away from boredom. _What's that saying? 'Be careful what you wish for?'_

"I am a master of shadows, nothing more, nothing less. I have come to see the famous Lord of Togenkyo. However, if I had known that you were only a boy, I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here in the first place."

The youth simmered with anger and his shoulders trembled. "A mere child, you say?! I am Prince Toma, Lord of Illusions! I find your disrespect annoying and completely uncalled for! Be gone, shadow, or you will be punished accordingly."

The shadow laughed with amusement as he slowly strode forward. "You will punish me?! Listen to me boy, I have fought many powerful opponents and withstood many strange and potent attacks. My training alone nearly cost me my life. But the payoff was worth it and made me even stronger than before. As such, I highly doubt that you, a young fool, will succeed in beating me where so many others have failed."

"You underestimate my abilities and insult me as well!" The prince growled and drew his sword. "It seems you need a lesson in manners and respect. Prepare for battle!"

He charged forward, swinging his sword with deadly grace, trying to deliver a blow that would cleave his opponent in half. Unfortunately, it didn't connect. The Shadow Warrior teleported at the last second and Toma's sword caught nothing but air.

The prince spun around frantically, searching for his elusive target and came face to face with the dark cloud. Before he could react, the man raised a large arm and slammed his fist into Toma's face, throwing him back into an antique table. It shattered into pieces under his weight. Stunned, he lay on the ground for a moment amidst the broken husk of the furniture and felt warm blood trickle down his face, forming a puddle of red on the floor. He snarled in rage and disbelief. "How dare you!"

"You started this fight, fool! Due to your rashness I will finish it! Don't think for a second that I'm going to spare you just because you're a child."

"We'll see, wont we?" Toma sheathed his sword and disappeared in a brilliant flash. The Shadow Warrior blinked in amazement behind his helmet, and took a cautionary step backwards. The prince reappeared right in front of him and threw a punch that connected with what he guessed was the man's chin; it was difficult to tell with the cloud distorting his view. The attack had come far faster than he had anticipated and he snarled in frustration. Unlike the other opponents he had faced, he hadn't taken the time to properly research this brat beforehand. That meant there was a danger brought on by the element of unknown, but that just made things sweeter and he relished the fast paced uncertainty the battle was creating. Life wasn't worth living, after all, if one wasn't prepared to take risks.

The shadow stumbled backwards clumsily, his initiative broken as he shifted into a defensive stance. Unlike his previous opponent, this lad knew how to fight up close and personal, and he did so like a cornered wolf. The Warrior grinned, suddenly feeling very pleased. His journey here hadn't been a waste after all.

Toma used this vital time of inactivity wisely by slamming his foot straight into the man's chest. His opponent grunted in pain but managed to regain his balance and throw a punch aimed for the young prince's side. Toma avoided the move with ease and back flipped away at the last second, giving him some room to work with.

A flurry of punches caught nothing but air as Toma skillfully flipped out of the way, his own blade ringing out, almost taking an arm off at the shoulder. The Shadow Warrior had learned a hard lesson. Though young, Toma could fight with the skill and power far above that of normal human beings. It would not do well for him to underestimate the boy a second time. Advancing again, he took more care in planning his next attack.

"You are good young prince, far better than I ever imagined you could be. I was surprised to see that you mastered the art of teleportation. Normally it would take a person many years to master. I am impressed! However, it will take more than a teleport and basic level attacks to faze me for long."

The Shadow Warrior dropped into a stronger offensive combat stance. "Now, show me your true potential!"

Toma couldn't remember the last time he had fought this hard. His body was covered in a fine layer of sweat and his muscles strained with exertion. He certainly hadn't seen such a high level of skill displayed in an enemy during combat since Ranma's little adventure. The only difference was this warrior was out to cause permanent damage. One slip up and it would be all over.

The two began a game of run and catch around the room, each teleporting to spots where they would be able to launch a quick attack against the other. Toma, being as small as he was, still landed several punches that hit hard enough to amaze the Warrior. Still, his armor absorbed the blows and the unfortunate prince soon found himself on the receiving end of a powerful counteroffensive, and his body paid the price as punches tenderized his flesh.

Switching tactics, he drew his sword again and resumed his attack, once again forcing his foe back. Rolling in low, he kicked at the Warrior's armored shin, setting him temporarily off balance. Jumping up, Toma drew his sword high and brought it down towards his opponent's head with amazing speed and precision. The Warrior raised his arm and the sword cut into the armor on his forearm, but not deep enough to reach the skin. Slapping the weapon out of Toma's hands and across the room, he followed up with a kick to the boy's sternum. As the stunned prince flew backwards, the Shadow Warrior was there to meet him, catching him by the front of his clothing and pounding his stomach with a vengeance.

Setting himself against the pain, Toma lifted his foot up and kicked his enemy square in the jaw. Finding the grip holding him slightly weakened, he managed to break free and half fell, half roll across the room. He grabbed his sword and turned, leveling it in the direction of his opponent.

As a pause in the battle occurred, he took a second to catch his breath, rubbing thoughtfully at the large gash on his cheek, given to him by a painful fist to face connection. _This guy is strong, much stronger than I am! I can't hope to beat him with regular attacks. My only chance is to collect all my remaining energy and hit him full force!_

"This must end here!" Focusing his mind, Toma collected his energy reserves and prepared for an all or nothing attack.

The warrior paused and rose to his full height, rolling back his shoulders. "A final attack this early in the match?"

Toma smiled thinly. "I've never been one for drawing things out."

"Ha. Here I was beginning to think that you were a true martial artist, especially after stunning performance you just gave. Oh well. If you are going to gamble on an all or nothing attack at least give me a glimpse as to the true extent of your power."

He made no attempt to move or shield himself. Nothing could have infuriated the young prince more. The way Toma saw it, no matter how strong willed this man was he would certainly fall victim to the sword's illusion attack. No one had ever been able to see through the illusion with the exception of Ranma.

"I'll show you power!" Toma raised his sword and began concentrating his power for his attack. Holding the weapon with his other hand just below the tip, he closed his eyes in concentration. Abruptly, fire sprouted from the blade's hilt, licking at the metal. Toma pulled his arm back and, with a strong swing of the blade, shot fire from his sword. The menacing warrior in armor was instantly engulfed in a torrent of flame that would appear to burn with intensity for several long minutes. The flames greedily clung to the armor the Shadow Warrior wore but he did not move. In seconds he was utterly consumed by the fire and heat of the prince's attack.

While the move was entirely an illusion, what the mind perceived as being truth became real. As such, the Warrior's own mind would seal his demise. A wave of comfort washed over the prince when he knew the man was dead. He sunk to his knees in exhaustion. Never before had he used so much energy to heighten the attack to its greatest believable setting. He counted himself lucky that the Shadow Warrior didn't know of the move's weakness. If he had, not only would he have survived, but it would have opened up a world of problems for the young ruler that he no longer had the strength to resist. Wiping sweat from his eyes, Toma watched the illusionary flames finish its ghastly work.

His eyes transfixed on the lovely and terrible fires of his final attack as he watched the hellish flames dance in merriment for a long moment before sheathing his blade and taking a deep breath. "I didn't want to take your life. You left me with no other choice."

Without warning the Shadow Warrior burst from the flames like a reincarnated phoenix and charge towards the stricken prince at blinding speed, howling at the top of his lungs. He delivered a roundhouse kick to Toma's face that spun the youth to the ground. The boy lay there, wide-eyed, unable to comprehend what had just occurred.

The Shadow Warrior laughed. "I noticed that your attack was not real when your hand came in close contact with the blade. You didn't recoil from the heat or the flames like a normal person would. Armed with that knowledge, your attack was little more than a fireworks show. It's utterly useless when a person knows that it's an illusion. Did I hit right on the mark or what?"

Striding forward, he grabbed the prince roughly by his hair and lifted the boy off the ground as if he weighed nothing at all. Toma's mouth filled with dust and small rock shards as he was slammed into a nearby pillar, shattering it. He collapsed in a heap at the man's feet, surrounded by rough chunks of stone.

"Unfortunately, you risked all and lost. Now you must pay the price for your gamble. I will find a way to twist your final attack to suit my personal use. You have my thanks for such an entertaining afternoon."

Toma screamed as his vision went red and pain blossomed across his spinal column and up into his brain. He screamed again as a portion of his knowledge was ripped away from his mind by an invisible force, leaving a gaping hole of nothingness in its place. The agony racked his body, tormenting with high levels of malicious power. Bolts of discharged energy played across his shaking form as the Shadow Warrior howled with delight, standing over his defeated foe like a black demon. Crying out with a final whimper, Toma collapsed and lay unmoving on the floor, charges of static energy still sparking across his prone form.

The Shadow Warrior turned to go. Time was of the essence. He didn't have time or energy to waste in killing the boy when he had an even stronger opponent to track down. There was no reason to kill these weak pawns. Defeat and robbing him of their most guarded attacks was shame enough. The only ones who deserved final death were Ranma and the old man.

The doors of Toma's chamber flew open and the Shadow Warrior whipped his head around to see three animal-like men standing in combat stance. Behind them, a contingent of personal body guards stood ready for battle.

"Step away from the prince!" Torusan rasped.

_Damn it. I wasn't fast enough._ The Shadow Warrior knew it wasn't a question of whether or not he could take them all but a question of how much time it would take to do it. He was not a patient man and even a moment of wasted time with his final goal drawing so close to completion was utterly unacceptable. He quickly decided that it would simply be best to cut his victory a trifle short and leave these fools to pick up the broken pieces of their fallen prince.

"Master Toma!" Salatoru cried as he saw Toma lying broken on the floor. His furry face held a look of rage and barely controlled agony. "What have you done to him?!"

"Ahhh, the faithful guards to the rescue. Too bad for him that you didn't arrive five minutes sooner. He's just having a nap right now. Nothing to worry about. Farewell gentlemen, I have pressing matters elsewhere to attend to."

The Warrior called upon the shadows from the darkness of his soul and teleported away with a blinding flash of red light, leaving only his haunting laughter behind as it echoed throughout the large chamber.

Horrified, the three beast-men ran to their master's side and held his twitching, sweating form in their gentle hands. His breathing came in short, uncontrolled rasps and several of the men looked at one another, uncertain of what to do.

"Prepare a boat," Salatoru cried, running ahead. "The master needs medical attention!"

Wonton, the strongest of them all, carefully lifted the boy up and carried him in his massive hands, whining sadly.

* * *

Luckily, the floating island was passing closer to Japan than usual so the trio arrived in Okinawa via boat in good time. Toma was rushed into the emergency room one hour later at the island's central hospital. The doctors, after getting over the initial shock of seeing three animal-like men and two spear armed soldiers, told them that the young boy would live but that it would require days of rest and other procedures before he would be well enough to see visitors.

Silently and sadly, Toma's faithful men began the trip back to Togenkyo. In all of their hearts burned the desire for revenge, but they had no way to extract it since the enemy had neither given his name nor shown his face. Sighing and leaning back against the mast of the small boat as it sailed back to the island, Salatoru thought of Ranma and knew, somehow, that this nightmare would not leave him untouched. Glumly, he placed his wooden pipe between his lips, taking several soothing puffs of the burning tobacco. The smoke filtered down his throat and into his lungs, calming his nerves ever so slightly.

_Rest easy, lord Toma. Just focus on recovering your strength. Don't worry, one way or another, you will be avenged._

The matter would be left to Ranma then. Perhaps that was how it was meant to be. Salatoru only hoped fate would be kinder to him than it had for poor Toma.


	5. Ryoga’s Chaotic Fury!

Chapter Four: Ryoga's Chaotic Fury.

It had been a long, long day. Ranma had made it through the rest of his classes peacefully but his heart still ached painfully when Akane continued to ignore him even after he approached her again directly. No, it was even worse; she hadn't even acknowledged his existence. She'd stared past him as if he wasn't there. The final bell of the day had helped him save face in front of his peers.

Akane had disappeared without a word after class. Jamming his hands into his pockets, Ranma struggled to appear nonchalant as he walked home from school by himself. He didn't dare show how much she had hurt him. Even Ranma knew that he didn't have the right because no matter how much he hurt inside, her pain was at least a million times greater.

Grudgingly, he realized that while she didn't help matters, oftentimes their fights were because of his doing. As such, he had no one to blame but himself. His pride was too great to admit this openly, but it certainly was a step in the right direction. Of course, that didn't dismiss the fact that her reaction to what he had said this morning was making him angry as well, half at himself and half at her. It took a lot to make him sincerely want to apologize and when he finally worked up the will to do so only to have her ignore him completely it pissed him off to no end. Frustration boiled up inside of him until he wanted to scream.

"Stupid Akane…" Kicking at a stone, he thought back to the events that had transpired later that day.

At lunch time, Akane had gone off to eat with her friends. Hiroshi and Daisuke were both absent so Ranma was left with no other choice but to find someone else to eat with. Finding Ukyo also alone and wishing for some company in the main courtyard, he decided to hang out with her. His other fiancée had was simply overjoyed and had cooked him a special Okinomiyaki pizza with a heart made of sauce on her portable grill to mark the occasion. Her company was far more preferable to eating alone. He had always been friendly towards her, considering the successful business girl to be one of his closest friends.

For him to actually _initiate _a chance for them to spend some time together shocked and thrilled the cross-dressing chef considerably_._ They had often played together as small children but since they had reunited in high school Ranma hadn't made his move to claim her as she thought he should. Perhaps today, she thought, would see Ranma taking the first of many small steps in the right direction.

Ukyo tried to make small talk, but Ranma was clearly in a bad mood and didn't give anything beyond one word answers to anything she said or asked. He didn't even eat all of his lunch and that was particularly unusual considering his bottomless pit he had for a stomach. She had been a little mad but couldn't find it in her heart to truly blame him. She knew how hard his life was. Akane didn't contribute a single positive aspect to his life and that made Ukyo quite cross indeed.

_If I was forced to be engaged to someone I didn't like and got attacked everyday by headstrong jackasses, I'd be cranky too._ Smiling slightly at her depressed fiancé, Ukyo had then taken a nibble of her food, keeping her thoughts to herself. She understood the situation all too well. What Ranma needed for the moment was a friend, and that was how she would make herself indispensable to him. When the time was right she'd make her move and replace Akane, completely bringing Ranma the happiness he had previously gone without.

When the final bell rang signaled the end of lunch she had given Ranma a small peck on the cheek and winked cheerfully. "I'll see you later, Ran-chan." She had taken off for the school door, her white hair bow bobbing like a graceful butterfly in the wind.

Bringing his mind back to the present, Ranma heaved a massive sigh. Stopping to look at the water canal, he wrapped his fingers around the chain-linked fence that blocked it off from public access and sighed again, watching the water flow beneath him. Inside, he felt close to snapping and that wasn't a good sign. A year and a half of this constant fighting was starting to seriously wear him down. Somewhere, in the back of his mind, he desperately wanted a change of pace, a little bit of peace and quiet.

He needed to work off some steam.

Reaching the house, he grabbed a bag of potato chips from the kitchen, stuffed it down, and then went out into the backyard to work off his frustrations for a bit. Taking off his shirt and folding it up neatly, he placed it on one of the larger rocks bordering the pond. Clad in his white tank top and elastic pants he stretched out his muscles in a series of exercise. A Koi fish jumped gracefully into the air then dove back into the watery depths, catching Ranma's attention. He watched the fish swim around in the pond for a moment, allowing his mind to clear and relax before he continued.

_Must be easy being a fish_… Warming up his muscles, he began his relished daily workout with basic kicks and punches, going through different forms and stances. Gradually, he increased the complexity, strength, and speed of his attacks, adding a strong mixture of Kempo to his training for flavor. Soon, his moves were cutting through the air with grace and his body glistened with sweat. The minutes passed by peacefully.

_This is the way it should be._ Smiling for the first time that day, Ranma felt his stress bleed away. Life, he concluded, should be this simple all of the time.

Suddenly, a blur jumped in front of him, and he recoiled, crying out in surprise. He jumped back instinctively and fell into a firm defensive posture. Things just never stopped happening in the Nerima district, and whenever he let his guard down, things came back to haunt him every time. His face hardened as more bad news reentered his life and stood tall, demanding attention. A part of Ranma was completely shocked, and it fought against a feeling of annoyance for supremacy in his brain. He had thought his last solution would have kept the boy away for a great deal of time longer than it had. There was no feasible way he could have returned from another continent so damn quickly.

And yet he had. For someone with such bad luck, circumstances sometimes ended up working in his favor that left Ranma dumbstruck. _I don't believe it…_

He gazed at this new threat with distain. _I wonder why in the world my enemies can't give me a friggin' break once in a while?! I thought for sure it would have taken him years to get back! How is it possible, even with a sense of direction as bad as his, that he always manages to find his way back here every time?_

His sour mood returned and he made no attempt to hide it. "Ryoga, what in the hell are you doing back so soon? Of all the days to make your reappearance, you pick the one that has given me the biggest headache."

Ryoga Hibiki just glared with naked hatred, his teeth clenched tightly together in a fierce snarl. His fangs glistened in the late afternoon sun, helping his face to look even more sinister. The clothes on his back were filthy and torn and his face was smudged brown with dirt and grime. Both of these were signs that he had traveled a long way for a very long time. He dropped his enormous, grass-stained backpack to the ground with an audible thud then took up battle stance with umbrella in hand. Rage induced energy flowed off him like water over a cliff.

Ryoga was definitely not a happy camper.

"Rrrrrrraaaaaaannnnnnmmmmmmmm aaaaaaa," He growled in barely controlled fury. His voice held a firm note of venom that was outdone only by the fiery hatred that shone in his dark eyes. "How dare you turn me into a pig and mail me to a research station in the South Pole! Do you have any idea how _cold _it was!? That box was stuffy and I didn't have any food either! I thought I was gonna' die!"

Ranma crossed his arms and gave Ryoga a bored expression knowing full well that it was a sure fire way to really piss him off. "It's your own fault, P-chan. I warned you not to sleep in Akane's room anymore, didn't I?"

Ryoga took a menacing step forward. "Don't call me that! What I do is none of your business, Ranma! Besides, whose fault was it that I got my pig curse in the first place? I didn't fall in that spring, I was _kicked _in! Remember?! And it was you who launched that kick! You're to blame for my curse and you have the gall to mock me? Besides, compared to the perverted things you do on a daily basis, you have no right to lecture me!"

Ranma slapped his hand to his face and grimaced. "Are you still going on about your curse?! Jeeze…. Ryoga, that was over two years ago! At least you stay male when you change! At least you don't have guys chasing you around and beggin' for dates. At least you don't have perverts and school boys fondling your chest! You're the lucky one!"

Ryoga's dark eyes widened in disbelief. He absolutely couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ranma had more nerve than he thought! "Lucky? _Lucky_!? Everywhere I go, people try to catch and eat me for dinner or sell me to the meat merchants and you dare to call me lucky to my face?! At least you stay human when you change! At least your life is never in danger when you travel abroad! My trip home was pure hell! I almost didn't make it!"

"I kinda' wish you hadn-"

Ryoga cut him off with an upraised hand. When the rugged boy spoke again, his voice was softer than before and full of confidence. There was something to his voice, a tone that promised Ranma a painful defeat. As he looked Ryoga over again, Ranma was startled to realize that the boy seemed a bit different than he had before. Something had happened to Ryoga on his long trek home and it certainly wouldn't bode well.

"At least your life is never in danger, Ranma... when I'm not around that is. I've been training while I was gone. I used the harsh climate you provided me to my advantage. I'm not the same pushover you knew and taunted a few months ago. I've come back to beat the ever-living hell out of you once and for all. Then, and only then, will I take Akane from you. Maybe then you'll feel a small sample of the pain and misery you've caused me to feel for over two years! Two years of hell! Ranma, you're going to experience it firsthand! Come on, let's fight!"

"Training, eh?" Ranma grinned with confidence and cracked his knuckles. "Ok, Ryoga, let's see what you got! That last time you left on a training trip, you got lost and came back with the Shishi Hoko-Dan technique and you must remember how that little event turned out for you! You aint' never gonna win! You'll only succeed in embarrassin' yourself over and over again!"

Ryoga's face turned to anger again and his body tensed up. Ranma felt a second burst of power radiate from his enemy and he almost recoiled in self-defense. _Where the hell did this power come from!? There's no end to it! It's like looking into a dark well or and not seeing the bottom!_

"I trained harder than ever, Ranma. My only goal is to destroy you once and for all! That is the only purpose left in my existence." Ryoga charged forward, swinging his umbrella skillfully with one hand. Ranma casually flipped over the Lost Boy's body, using his head as a springboard. More insulted than injured, Ryoga spun around and thrust his weapon forward in an attack that could shatter a man's ribs with ease. Ranma sidestepped swiftly and easily kicked the umbrella out of his hands.

"Actually, as far as I know, that's the only goal you ever had to begin with," Ranma retorted.

Before Ranma could summon a cocky grin to match his comment, Ryoga moved forward with lightning speed and buried his fist deep into his stomach. The blow sent a massive shockwave screaming out in all directions, rattling the windows on houses several blocks away. Ranma stumbled backwards, clutching his sides. His eye's widened in surprise as pain rushed out across his torso. Lucky punch or no, he hadn't been hit by something that hard since his battle against Saffron.

_He's gotten faster!_ Ranma blocked two more punches with his forearms. _And stronger too! I guess I have to get a bit more serious._

He shot his foot out and swept Ryoga's legs out from under him. The Lost Boy performed a graceful midair flip, landed on his hands in a modified headstand, then flipped again to his feet. A torrent of punches failed to connect and only barely managed to slow Ryoga down.

It suddenly dawned on Ranma that this wasn't just another grudge match. Ryoga would try to grapple at close range and wear him down until he beat, or preferably, killed his opponent. He was too determined and stubborn to do anything else. His poor brain must have really been put over the edge with the arctic incident.

Still, it was these life and death incidents that made being a martial artist a pleasure and a challenge. Ranma allowed himself a slight smile despite the circumstance, and completely submerged himself within the threshold of battle. _Heh, my heart's racing._

He back-flipped halfway across the yard to give himself more room to plan out a strategy. Ryoga was out for keeps and if he got his hands around his neck, Ranma knew he wouldn't hesitate to crush it. His rival was a like a time bomb, wound up and set to explode with deadly results. He had to keep his rival off balance and confused if he was to win. As long as he kept moving, he could bring his incredible speed to play and pummel the poor sap into submission.

"Die!" Ryoga rushed forward, fist cocked back to strike.

Ranma's foot caught Ryoga in the chest and staggered him backwards, deleting his offensive movement. However, Ryoga managed to remain standing by throwing his body weight forward at the last second. He skillfully faked to the left then slipped inside Ranma's defenses and delivered a nasty head-butt that also sent Ranma skidding backwards across the grass. Growling, Ryoga raised his fist and charged forward again.

Ranma's baby blue eyes glazed over in pain and annoyance, but only for an instant. "You've gotten better P-chan, but you're still no match for me! _Kashuu Tenshin Amaguriken!_"

Amazingly, Ryoga blocked or avoided most of the rapid fire punches that Ranma threw his way, probably because he was a step or two outside of the attack's optimum strike radius. Enough got through however, and massive damage started to take a toll on his body. Ranma's fists connected successfully on Ryoga's chest and stomach over and over again, forming bruises instantly and knocking the wind from his lungs.

"Argh!" Ryoga hunched over in pain, trying unsuccessfully to breathe as pain squeezed his lungs with a fist of molten fire. For a moment, pain was all that his world was made of. It was this sensation that gave him further strength, for from pain he found rage, and rage was his greatest ally at this moment in time. He stood up straight after a moment and squared his shoulders, even though doing so took all the willpower he had.

"Had enough yet, porker?" Ranma shifted to a different position.

Ryoga's face twisted savagely. "You... haven't... beaten... me... yet! _Bakusai Tenketsu_!" He dove forward and thrust his index finger into the soft earth, triggering an explosion that blew Ranma clear off his feet as the ground under him erupted violently upwards. He jumped to his feet seconds later, rubbing his sore rear.

"Looks like you finally found a practical use for that stupid attack. Remind me to go on a trainin' trip to the South Pole sometime soon."

He slid in close to Ryoga and kicked the unprepared boy square in the jaw with a horizontal attack that bore the strength that came with years of training. The impact threw Ryoga into the large stone wall at the opposite end of the yard. It took him several long seconds to pull his head free from the structure. As he broke free, rock rubble sprayed the ground around him but he waded through, still very ready to fight.

"Give up, P-chan!" Ranma yelled out the insult more from exasperation than from actual cockiness. He slipped around to Ryoga's left side and pummeled his face and neck with punches. A particularly hard blow knocked Ryoga to the ground and he tasted dirt as his forehead cracked against the soil.

"Give up," Ranma said again.

Ryoga stood up, slower this time, rubbing a trickle of saliva from his chin. It dawned on Ranma that perhaps Ryoga truly did possessed the strength and determination to keep fighting through blows that had ended past fights much sooner.

Ranma laid Ryoga out again with a punch to the jaw. Once again Ryoga started to pick himself up off of the ground. _This is impossible! Ryoga may be strong, but getting knocked head first at full power into a stone wall should have been more than enough to faze even him!_

"Damn it, Ranma, don't call me P-chan! I'm a human! I am Ryoga not a damn pig!" He bared his fangs savagely and lunged at Ranma again with an outstretched hand, aiming for his throat. Unfortunately, this was exactly what Ranma had hoped he would do. The odds remained his favor since Ryoga's own momentum could easily be predicted and used against him.

"Gotcha!" Ranma tapped into his strongly confident spirit and summoned forth a great reserve of energy. Bright power began to swirl in his hands, swirling around his fingertips like a brilliant nova. With one move he would end the fight and prove to Ryoga yet again that he was still a second rate martial artist! "_Moko_ Takabisha!"

Ryoga miraculously dove to the side at the last second as the energy beam crackled and flew through the area he had just been standing in. If that had managed to hit him, he would have been in serious trouble. The yellow blast flew past him and hit a section of the wall, cutting through it with ease. It exploded right after that, scattering shards of stone throughout the yard. He gave a horrified shudder as his shoulder hit the hard ground and he rolled with the impact.

Ryoga performed a side roll and ended up in a crouch, setting his teeth. That had been too close for comfort. He saw Ranma weakly try and catch his breath after expending so much potent energy and with a burst of determination, took advantage of his hated rival's open defenses by running forward and delivering a strong uppercut to his jaw. The next thing Ranma saw was the ground as it rushed to meet him.

"You are really starting to make me mad, Ryoga!" Ranma spit grass and dirt from his mouth, glaring upwards.

"I've never been scared of you, Ranma!"

"Feh. Another mistake. We'll just add that to your rather impressive tab."

Ryoga pounded on his chest with a fist. "You won't bully me around or manipulate my feelings against me ever again! This dark energy in my soul was the salvation I sought! This is the result of the anger you've caused me to feel for so very long!"

"Whatever." Ranma climbed to his feet and rushed at Ryoga. The two clashed again. Both scored hits when the other left himself open. The intensity of the punches shook the dojo's very walls. Strikes and kicks met fierce resistance as the fury of the battle consumed them both. When they finally broke apart from one another and gazed at each other's bleeding, bruised bodies, both realized that neither of them was gaining a true advantage in the fight. Things were getting far too serious. If the matter wasn't resolved quickly, one of them was going to end up seriously hurt... or worse.

Ranma nodded his head decisively. He knew full well what he had to do. _I think it's time to change up the tactics a bit. _

He jumped over Ryoga and landed feet first into the Koi pond, allowing the cold water to activate the curse he normally hated so much. Climbing out, she smirked with an air of confidence even greater than before as she pulled her pants up and cinching her belt tighter. Behind her, the braided pigtail danced back and forth like a snake as if sharing her feelings. "Come on and fight, Ryoga! This is round two!"

Ryoga hissed. "The final round you mean! Today is the day my thirst for vengeance is quenched! Die!" He charged forward, screaming like a banshee. Ranma couldn't have asked for more from her overeager opponent. He was nothing if not predictable.

_Poor sucker! He won't know what was happening until it's too late!_ Ranma stood perfectly still, grinning widely with outstretched arms as if inviting destruction. She gave thanks to his gullible, overexcited nature. Without it, she wouldn't have had a chance in hell of pulling this stunt off.

Further infuriated by Ranma's self-satisfied grin, Ryoga continued charging with the power of a rhino.

_Almost..._ Ranma's face turned to a look of determination. It took a lot of guts to stand in the path of a charging muscle house, expert fighter or no. She had to time it just right or the move would fail utterly. If she didn't catch Ryoga in time, or if she did it too soon, she would surely lose.

Ryoga kept coming.

_Almost there..._

Lost in his rage, the Lost Boy quickly closed up the distance. If he held even the smallest inkling as too what his fate would be, he showed no fear. His narrowed eyes bore into hers, promising vengeance.

_Almost there..._

He jumped in front of her, roaring loudly, his fist rose high over his head, knuckles pointing downward. He was prepared to cleave her skull in without the slightest bit of remorse, or so it seemed. It was nearly enough to make Ranma shutter. None of their other fights had ever held so much ferocity and raw anger. It was a situation he had hoped to never get caught up in because it was battles like these where someone usually lost their life. She had defeated many opponents and never taken a life in the process. She didn't intend to start now. With luck this move would properly defuse the situation.

_Now!_ She pulled open her shirt, pulling the wooden clasps open with one good yank. This gave Ryoga a good view of her breasts which bounced teasingly from the motion due to the lack of a bra. She had no shame or feminine modesty and this move had always worked before. It was a sure fire way to turn the fight back towards the direction she wanted it to go. Ryoga was always weakest when he was flustered and embarrassed.

Ryoga's eyes popped out of their sockets and he jumped backwards at an impossibly fast rate, turning around and covering his nose as if to ward off a nose bleed. "Iyeeeeeeeee! Damn it, Ranma, that's not fair! You do this every time! What kind of a martial artist pulls such a cheap trick?!" He spun away from her, blushing furiously and losing his focus. It took all his willpower to keep from passing out there on the spot.

_ That would end the fight real quick wouldn't it? Ryoga you fool…_ He fought to keep his emotions under control and struggled to hold fast to his anger and depression. It was difficult, especially because he was an incredibly shy person when it came to things like female nudity. Holding tightly to his resolve, Ryoga somehow got himself back under control and grasped onto his fleeting anger. He would need it to win the match.

Ranma snickered sinisterly as she buttoned up her shirt. "Time to end this!"

Ryoga's back made for a great target. She kicked him square in the spine, sending him skidding forward several feet, throwing up dirt and grass as he slid. To her disappointment, he didn't fall. Instead, he spun around again and glared with naked hatred. "Ranma!"

Her grin stretched from ear to ear. "What's that about manipulating emotions, Ryog-"

He slammed his balled fist into her chin, jarring teeth and snapping her head back at a painful angle. She lost her footing and stumbled backwards across the soft grass as stars flashed in front of her eyes. How had he moved so fast? Not only had he not stayed flustered for long, but he had redoubled his efforts faster than she had ever seen him do so before.

_I gotta' finish this now! I can't keep holding him at bay! There aint' no time to goof off anymore!_ Side-stepping rapidly, she danced around Ryoga's punches, setting up for her next attack. She gently released cool energy into the air around her, drawing the unsuspecting Ryoga into a spiral pattern, step by unsuspecting step. Before long her graceful combative dance was mixing with Ryoga's radiating dark energy, distorting the air around them. It wasn't until Ranma raised her fist that Ryoga knew what he had allowed himself to be caught up in.

Throwing his hands in front of his face, he screamed in frustration. "No!"

Her eye's blazed. "Final Attack! _Hiryu Shoten Ha_!"

A blue dragon shaped blast lanced out from her upraised fist and struck Ryoga's body dead on, forming a giant hurricane. With tremendous power, it sucked the Lost Boy's still screaming body up into its center like dust into a vacuum cleaner. Unfortunately, Ranma didn't use her max power for fear of further damaging the house and earning a serious reprimand from Soun. It proved to be enough though. Ryoga's agonized cries sounded loudly in her ears and she allowed herself a weak smile. There was no way he would be able to keep fighting, not after taking a direct shot in his weakened state.

Ryoga found the existence of a new level of pain as his body greedily sucked up smashing blows from the intense winds. It felt like his very mind was dimming as the hurricane sapped up more and more of his strength, numbing his body as Ranma's energy charged across his body, weakening him further. He knew he had to do something quick, before he was utterly defeated again.

"Not again, I won't lose to you again Ranma! Never again!" Depression and frustration burned through him like fire across wood. His eye's glazed over in silent fury as a dark blue ball of energy took shape in his hands. Inside his soul, he focused all of his sadness, all of his depression, but most of all, his hate for the damn boy far below. Energy began coursing through his body and into his hands where it fed into the mass increasing energy ball.

"I won't let you win! I can't lose again! _Shishi Hoko-Dan_!"

With a tremendous howl that drowned out even the piercing winds themselves, he pointed his spread hands straight at Ranma's chest and fired a huge blue beam of hellish might. It launched towards Ranma with the full energized force of his dark, nightmarish power. It made the one he had used against the monkey/man on Toma's island look like a firecracker in comparison.

The coursing column of dark energy even cut through the intense power of the Hiryu Shoten Ha, forcing itself through the nearly impenetrable wall of wind and energy. Facing no further obstacles, it struck Ranma dead on before she could even think to block, blasting her body backwards. The sheer momentum of the energy used crushed her painfully into the ground, forming an impact crater. The current of power forced itself into her body, setting off every nerve ending with unbearable pain. Blue lightning waves played across her form, heating her skin and paralyzing her nervous system.

"Damn…it…" Struggling to her feet, a second round of pain faltered her resolve and, grunting pitifully, she pitched forward face first into the ground hard enough to make it splinter around her. Her features expressed the sheer agony she felt as her body twitched uncontrollably.

Above, the powerful twister died down as its energy reserves depleted. No longer being held up, Ryoga fell to earth, hitting the ground on his back with such force that it sucked the breath painfully from his lungs for the second time that day. After releasing so much raw power, he hadn't the strength needed to land gently on his feet. Ranma took grim satisfaction in seeing that he was as badly beaten up from the fall as she was from his attack. Even after that, they had both come out nearly even. It was quite remarkable and she couldn't help but be impressed, though she hardly dared to admit it, even to herself.

The two rose almost at the same time, both wincing from various wounds and bruises. Neither had finished off the other and while both combatants were surprised that the fight had lasted this long, neither was ready to quit. If there was one thing the two truly had in common it was an unshakable sense of pride brought on by years of practicing martial arts.

"Man, you're stubborn," Ranma spat, clutching her ribs.

"Look who's talking!" Ryoga shot back through clenched teeth. One of his eyes refused to open. Looking at him, Ranma deducted that it was because of a large bruise that was quickly swelling to life over the eye socket. It throbbed painfully throughout Ryoga's skull, sending jolts of pain slamming through his brain. His one good eye gazed at her, scanning for a weakness he could exploit. They stared at one another as if for the first time, both breathing heavily and evaluating their many wounds.

The teenagers wearily resumed combat positions almost at the same time. Ryoga charged again, striking repeatedly at Ranma as she dashed away, dodging and blocking the fastest moves he had like a nimble rabbit.

She gave him a disgusted look, turning to look at him as her body danced gracefully, ignoring the pain he had inflicted upon her. "Ryoga, don't you ever get tired of doing this all the time? You can't beat me; you should know that well enough after losing so many times. No matter what, you will _always _fail!"

Ryoga's mood darkened even further and his lips pulled up into a feral snarl. He lunged at her with murder written in his eye. "Just shut up and fight me!"

Ranma grinned and twisted off to one side to let Ryoga fly past her. His trajectory took him straight into the embrace of the Koi pond and he could do nothing but curse his ill fortune and flail his arms in a futile effort to keep from falling in. As his body submerged, water erupted in every direction, showering the grass in the yard with water. A moment later, P-chan flew from the water's depths at Ranma, squealing angrily.

Laughing, Ranma knocked the flying pig to the ground and put her foot on top of the little pig to hold him in place. "Enjoy the bath, bacon breath?"

A frying pan seemed to fly from out of nowhere, hitting Ranma squarely in the head and knocking her senseless. "Ranma, how many times do I have to tell you not to pick on my poor little P-chan!" Akane screamed from within the house.

_Oh, Akane's home. _Ranma numbly pitched forward.

The fight was over, far more anticlimactically than either of them had expected.

It was funny, Ranma recalled as her head hit the ground none too softly. No matter how things changed, no matter how strong either of them got, or what new attacks they developed, her fights with Ryoga always seemed to end the same way every time.

Some things, it seemed, would never change.

* * *

Akane sat outside by the screen door while holding a very content black piglet to her chest, applying medicine that would bring down the swelling in her pet's eye. Taking in P-chan's battered form, the anger she still contained from this morning flared up to atomic magnitude. _The nerve of that jerk!_

She had just come home from shopping and in very fine spirits for the first time all day. Of course seeing Ranma attack her pet was more than enough to reduce her to a screaming riot all over again. This time however she actually listened to half of Ranma's account of the fight with Ryoga before she blew up in her face. That was something at least…

"How many times do I have to tell you not fight with good-hearted Ryoga?!" She looked at the little red headed girl with irritation. "First you fight with my friend and drive him out of town and then you start bullying my little P-chan. When Ryoga comes back from his trip I want you to apologize! This little vendetta you have with each other has gone on for long enough!"

Ranma rubbed her side and winced in silent pain. A particularly large bruise had appeared as a memento of one of Ryoga's powerful punches and announced its existence via each painful throb. She made a mental note to pay her rival back in kind. "I've already told you, it was Ryoga who started this whole mess! Blame him not me!"

Ryoga glared at Ranma from the safety of Akane's lap and retorted with an angry squeal. Ranma returned the glare and suddenly felt the overwhelming craving for bacon. "Stay out of this you little runt! You'll keep quiet unless you want me to give you a hot bath right here and now!"

"Why should I blame Ryoga when it's your fault?" Akane interjected. "It's always your fault! Honestly, you act like such a kid sometimes! You can't even express yourself in a positive way at all! Can you, Ranma?! I'm so sick of it!" She shouted a little louder then she meant to as the heat of the moment caught hold of her emotions. An apologetic look spread across her face but the damage had already been done.

Ranma simmered. "Fine, don't believe me! I guess in your mind being my fiancée means turning against me and blaming me for other people's actions just because you're jealous, doesn't it?! If you hate me that much then cut this relationship off! It's not like I'd care anyways! It certainly wouldn't be the first time you've done that either! Don't act like you haven't played games with my heart too!" She started up toward the stairs towards her room grabbing a simmering kettle off of the stove and overturning it upon her head.

Ranma stopped for a second and turned to face her, flashing a hard, neutral expression. "So, I'm not a man because I can't express myself, huh?! Well guess what, I kinda' like you!"

Akane's shocked expression further vindicated Ranma and he allowed the anger to give him the courage to say things he'd never thought to say before. His eyes shone a hard blue that Akane couldn't help but stare into. "Wha-?"

"Yeah that's right Akane! You and only you, since the first day I came to this stupid place! But what would a perverted jerk like me know about that stuff anyways, right!?" He turned and ran up to his room and slammed his door shut with exaggerated force.

Akane sighed as regret filtered into her body and tightened like a noose around her heart. She had gotten him really upset this time. It was the reverse situation to what had happened at breakfast. She had noticed the marks on his body and the pain in his eyes but had verbally attacked him anyways. She didn't mean to say the things she said. Actually, she absolutely hated hurting him. The words just came out before she could think about what she was saying.

_Always speaking before you think, huh? I guess you're not so different from Ranma after all. You're so stupid Akane_. She sighed mournfully. _Stupid, stupid, stupid!_

Carrying a rather startled P-chan up to her room, Akane lay down on her bed and started to cry. Silver tears dripped down her cheeks and loud sobs escaped from her mouth and into her pillow. Things had gone too far to be repaired this time. Her worst fears had been realized. Ranma hated her and it was all her fault.

_Ranma... Oh, Ranma, why do we always fight? Don't you know how much I..._ A new set of sobs took her by storm, shaking her frame. P-chan rubbed up against her hand, squealing in concern and doing his best to comfort her as an endless set of tears gave physical form to her grief.

* * *

Akane eventually fell asleep on her bed, giving Ryoga a chance to slip away undetected. He wandered around on his little trotters for over an hour looking for the bathroom. After taking a dozen wrong turns, he stumbled on it by accident, squealing triumphantly. He walked to the tub, hopped in, then turned on the hot water nozzle with his snout. The water played over his body, instantly reversing the effects of his hated curse in the blink of an eye. He would have sighed with contentment if his heart hadn't felt so very heavy.

He stretched out in the tub, gathering his thoughts as the water soothed the muscles in his limbs. _Damn it! Even after all I did, all I suffered through, I still couldn't beat him! Why? Why!?_ He sat dejectedly in the water, grimacing in shame and silent anguish.

He slapped his palms against his face. "But that's not all I messed up on today. Because of me, Akane is sad. I've no doubt ruined her entire day! Damn it! Ranma, someday I'll pay you back for everything you've done! I must train even harder. I can see that now. I swear to heaven and hell, I will surpass you even if it kills me! I will break you, even if I have to spend a life time trying! Then I'll take Akane away and make her happy forever."

He lay sprawled out for several more minutes and allowed the water to further ease his aching body. Reluctantly, he pulled the plug with his toes as the water started to cool, allowing the huge tub to drain itself dry. He quickly dried himself off with a spare towel then wrapped it around his waist, shivering as the cool air touched his skin. With the stealth of a ninja, he tip-toed out into the hall after checking to make sure the coast was clear to retrieve his gear.

Luckily, Akane had lugged his bag up the stairs near her bedroom. He dashed to it, grabbed a spare of change clothes and dashed back into his zone of privacy. He changed quickly then walked out towards the stairs, lugging the pack over his shoulder. He only got lost once on the way there.

He tightened his hand on the straps of his pack. _I've got to go away for a while until things settle down. I'll go back into the mountains and train so that next time I'll really beat Ranma and finally win Akane's affections!_

He smiled at that thought. _Soon. Please be patient my love._

He walked past Nabiki who eyed him curiously. He handed her a small wad of bills. "You never saw me here and you never saw me leave."

Nabiki took the cash and stuffed it into her back pocket. "Saw who?" she asked, flashing a wolfish grin. Ryoga knew he was safe. With money as his weapon, Nabiki would be as docile and harmless as a baby pup. He opened the back screen door and turned back to look in the direction of the stairs.

_Goodbye for now, my sweet Akane. I'll make this all up to you, someday. _He shut the door and walked down Nerima's unending streets.


	6. Feelings Unleashed At Last

Chapter 5: Feelings Unleashed

Ranma sprawled out on his futon and stared hard at the ceiling, allowing his anger to slowly seep away. His body hurt all over and even small movement made his limbs scream out in pain. He cursed Ryoga in his mind over and over again. His rival was far stronger than before and at least twice as fast. Obviously his training had greatly improved his martial arts skill, which was a first if there ever was one. Every other training trip Ryoga had undertaken alone had failed to yield serious results.

Ranma took slight comfort in the fact he had won the fight but now he had to take Ryoga seriously and not treat him like just another pushover. He wasn't a Kuno or a Mousse. There had been something resembling malice shining in Ryoga's eyes earlier. Ranma was nearly positive that Ryoga wouldn't have resorted to murder despite his boasts claiming otherwise, but in the heat of the moment anything could have happened.

"He's almost my equal! No way…" Ranma realized the hard fact suddenly, bolting up into a sitting position. Somehow, this frightened him. True, Ryoga had always been one of his strongest foes and the two had fought regularly over Akane, but the situations and end results had always been the same. Ranma had always won by an incredible margin in the past. He knew he could no longer do that.

_Ryoga's actually dangerous now. His anger makes him even deadlier._ Ranma touched a small bruise on his cheek. _Ow! Ok, Ranma, new lesson number one: never call Ryoga P-chan during a fight again! It could be hazardous to your health._

His mind gradually drew back to the events that had occurred at breakfast before the climatic encounter. The newspaper article suddenly reentered his mind. He actually felt sorry for Kirin but he found it difficult to forgive someone who had put him through such an excessive amount of hell, and that is exactly what Kirin had done. Still, the prince had apologized so everything had been settled. Ranma figured he owed his old enemy at least some concern. Kirin was tough and to take a beating as bad as the paper had described clearly meant that his opponent had been a highly skilled warrior indeed.

Ranma wondered who this 'Mysterious Intruder' was, pondering the possibilities and drawing on a list of suspects. He thought for a moment. No good, none of his really strong opponents even knew Kirin, and none of those that lived in Nerima had the strength to tackle the prince alone, as their misadventure in Nekonron had proven. The answer eluded him, but he was sure of one thing: the whole mess was going to involve him in one way or another. It always did.

He sighed and closed his eyes, fighting off a headache. _Things never stop in Nerima. Oh well, if anything does come of all this and this guy does come after me I'm sure he can't be any more of a hassle than Ryoga was. There's that at least…_

His thoughts turned to those of Akane and he frowned, rolling over onto his side. _I really hate fighting with her all the time! I know I shoot off my big mouth, but she could be a little bit more understanding and less violent too! Damn! I bet she's still mad. Wait a minute, why should I care if she's mad or not?! We fight all the time and nothing ever changes._

He lay there a moment, just staring at his hand, a look of exhaustion crossing his face. _I guess that I'm just really tired of everything repeating itself all the time._

A question he had been dodging for over a year chose that inconvenient time to pop up again in his mind again. Sitting up straight, he blushed crimson, raking his fingers through his hair in exasperation. _Do I actually like her? I mean… I told her I did but… do I really? Man, I don't know if I do or not…and with a tomboy like her…!?_

Like a twisting and turning rollercoaster, Ranma's feelings for Akane could change at any moment. When he thought that he was going to lose her forever as a result of one of Saffron's tricks, he'd felt such a strong dose of love and fear that his heart had practically torn itself in half. But things had quickly returned to normal and while he'd gone along with the wedding and even admired how wonderful Akane had looked on the day of the ceremony, he genuinely felt glad the wedding had ended in disaster. He still needed time to figure out how he really felt. Unfortunately, with her violent temper, Akane was not making this task easy.

Ranma gritted his teeth in frustration, taking his pillow and smacking himself in the face with it. Some emotions eluded his confused mind. If only relationships were more liking combat, he wouldn't have any problems. It was all the sensitive stuff that drove him crazy. How could he apologize to her and tackle this constant relationship problem at the same time?

His mood suddenly lifted as a great idea entered his mind. _I got it! I'll take her to the movies! Chicks dig that kind of stuff, right? That should get her to forgive me and maybe, just maybe, I'll even find out if I really, really like her and find out if...if she really likes me too. It's time to fight! I've gotta' be a man and sort all this out once and for all!_

He jumped to his feet and shook his fist at the heavens. _That's the ticket! I'm a genius!_

He rushed from his room as fast as lightening. As he neared Akane's room however, his confidence level sunk like the Titanic and he was suddenly filled with self-doubt. He stood in front of her door, unable to knock as a cold sweat matted his brow.

* * *

Far away, amidst an explosion of sudden awareness, a consciousness awoke again at last from the bonds of its new, diminished body. Though his tiny form had just experienced the exhausting process of reincarnation a short time before, the entity was already aware of much, comprehending events that, in all actuality, he shouldn't have been able to understand for many more years to come. But though this creature was tiny in image, he was far more than appearances beheld. Already he expressed a flicker of his former power from time to time. However it was never in the presence of others.

The entity was ancient in both mind and spirit, having seen the world change over and over again for many thousands of years. Under his endless reign he had witnessed species of animals fall to extinction. Over time he'd noted with interest as nations once thought invincible crumbled and faded into the pages of history. That was always most amusing of all. He had laughed at mankind's continual follies over the ages. How the insignificant creatures managed to continue thriving in such extensive numbers was a mystery, and an annoying one at that.

But in the end it was of no consequence. He was stronger than the sum of humanity, smarter and every bit as patient. His race was majestic and clean, so unlike the primitive apes that called itself humanity. The fact that he had been tricked and defeated by one of these creatures infuriated him to no end. It was this fact alone that spurned his consciousness to quickly develop back to self-awareness. Without his past memories and feelings he wouldn't be able to accomplish anything.

Thinking of humans made his diminutive fist clench tightly. He would make sure others would feel his wrath. No race it seemed, no matter how benevolent or majestic, was beyond enjoying the simple pleasures of a well-planned revenge.

Yes, he was aware, and he had been planning and scheming since his rebirth, biting back his anger and rage, allowing it to fester within his heart as he observed with eyes unclouded. He took a great deal of interest in Ranma and his so-called allies and studied them even now inside his mind's eye. Since he regained the full power of his intelligence, the entity began putting his plans into motion. No one, not even his own people, ever suspected what the seemingly innocent creature was planning within the dark confines of his mind.

He would wait patiently and observe his chosen enemies from a distance. He had much time to wait; this gave him plenty of time to plan his revenge and engage in a bit of trial and error. It would be quite some time before he was ready to ascend once more and claim his former mantle of power. He'd gone through this process countless times before so waiting a few years meant absolutely nothing.

He had found a new and interesting thing to watch within the confines of his mind in the meantime. This Shadow Warrior who had appeared on the scene from out of nowhere was proving to be a truly fascinating person indeed. His ferocity and single-minded determination was surprisingly refreshing and if his target truly was Ranma, as the entity hoped it was, then such an individual would unwittingly serve to carry out the planned revenge.

It hadn't been the entity's idea to summon forth this man. Originally he'd sent his dark shadow to torment Kirin. His intent had been to cloud the prince's mind and drive him to a point where attacking and killing Ranma was all he could think about. This Shadow Warrior had disrupted that plan quite thoroughly and the prince was now a broken and un-usable pawn.

However, the entity's plans were flexible. He could easily allow such a random variable into the equation. If the warrior failed to kill Ranma, it wouldn't hurt him or his overall plan in the slightest. It would work quite the opposite, in fact. If the Shadow Warrior somehow won, then revenge would be had without the need for the entity to become directly involved in a matter of revenge that was almost beneath him. If this warrior lost the coming battle, the engagement would still yield more information about the true limits of Ranma's abilities. The fact that it would be a win-win situation for him either way put the being in a very good mood.

Smiling evilly, it temporarily destroyed the mask of innocence normally displayed. One way or another, Ranma would die. That, he realized, was more than enough to wait for.

* * *

When Akane awoke several hours later she noticed P-chan was nowhere to be found. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up on her bed and yawned, stretching gently. A nap after a good cry always made her better and she was relieved to find that her spirits were up slightly. Swinging her legs around to rest on the floor, she leaned over and looked under her bed. "P-chan? Come here baby."

There was no answer and she sat up to scan her room for any sign of her pet. Her head fell glumly and she sighed. _He must have wondered off again..._

Brushing the hair away from her eyes, she got up and opened the door. Suddenly, she cried out and stepped backwards, losing her balance and falling onto her butt. There in her doorway stood Ranma, looking nervous and twiddling his thumbs like he had done something wrong.

"Ranma, don't scare me like that! What were you doing standing outside my door, eavesdropping or something!?"

Ranma just stood there staring down at the ground. He wouldn't even make eye contact. Akane cocked her head in confusion. "What's the matter Ranma?" Her face relaxed and she pulled herself up off of the floor. Whenever he didn't react to her yelling she knew something had to be up.

"I, um...y'know, I'm sorry for yelling and arguing with you today Akane..." He blushed.

Akane stared at him in shock. He had actually said he was sorry and meant it, so perhaps she should take the time to do the same before someone said the wrong thing again. "I'm sorry too. For calling you a pervert and all…" She bowed her head slightly, partially to avoid making eye contact. "And for saying all that other stuff too. Please forgive me."

"So… uh, I was wondering if you would, you know, uh... go to the movies with me tonight..." His face actually turned redder. "Um, nothing weird or anything… just … to hang out."

Akane nearly collapsed. She brought her hand to her chest and found her heart beating rapidly like a drum. _A date?! Ranma's asking me out! It's about time!_

"Ranma," she whispered, smiling cutely, "I'd love to!"

Ranma forced himself to make eye contact with her as his face burned like a forest fire. _She's so cute._

At last he was able to admit it to himself without a second thought. Perhaps it was because he had had such an unusual day, or perhaps it was just nature's time. Regardless, he felt something touch his heart that only brought on more confusion and indecision. In a way, he had always felt strongly about her. The truth was that he had just been too ignorant to notice it before. Now seemed as good a time as any.

"Great! I was thinking of going to a late show but I thought I'd let you decide what move we went to see."

"You want to go see that new Dragon Ball Z movie? I heard its best one yet! I think I read that they are also playing another Inuyasha movie as a double header. What was it called…?" She tapped her jaw line, thinking hard. "The Castle beyond the Looking Glass… or something?"

Ranma sighed in relief. He was glad she had chosen an Anime instead of some sappy romance flick. He was very picky about the kind of movies he would watch. "What's that Inuyasha series about? I think I've heard of it."

Oh it's a great story! I've seen some of the episodes on TV. The main character Inuyasha actually seems a lot like you!"

Ranma cocked his head, pondering that.

"Anyways, I think there's a late showing for that, if you wanted," she finished.

"Sounds good," he said, smiling. "I'll check the paper to confirm the time."

"I'll be ready in just a little bit." Akane winked at him then shut her door.

A million emotions consumed her at once and with the door shut and her privacy restored, she could finally express herself without looking foolish. Holding it together in front of Ranma had been far tougher than she'd thought. She fell on her bed, overcome with shock and excitement. The complete change in direction from the events of the day brought out a strong emotion in her. Tears streaked down the side of her face and she rolled onto her side, smiling softly, her hand hovering over her quickly beating heart.

_He does care…I knew it… I knew it!_


	7. The Date

Chapter six: The Date.

Ranma smiled easily for the first time in a very long while and made his way back down the hall. He spotted an eavesdropping Soun and Genma and the happy expression switched to a look of horror. It was too late to try to escape. When they saw that Ranma had discovered them, the two men ran to him with outstretched arms, crying happily.

"Well done, son! Saotome, I knew he liked Akane all along! It's just like I've always said, a little initiative goes a long way!" Soun slapped Ranma on the back as tears of joy ran down his face, drenching his moustache.

Genma laughed loudly and folded his arms. "That's my boy alright! Well done, Ranma! You make me very proud!"

Ranma blushed, and cast his gaze downward. "It's only a trip to the movies, Pop! It's not like we're getting married or nothing!" _We tried that once before and look where it got us!_

The two older men ignored his comments. Inwardly Ranma groaned. He knew there wouldn't be any break for him. He tried to step around the two older men, but they unintentionally blocked his path, showering him with compliments.

"I always knew you would choose my little girl over all those others! I'll be so proud to have you as my son-in-law!"

"Look," Ranma protested sternly, "I'm only going with her cause I don't feel like watching a movie by myself tonight, that's all!"

"Tendo, we are successful at long last!" Genma embraced his life-long friend, now ignoring Ranma completely. "We should celebrate the occasion! I think we still have a few bottles of sake stored away!" The two ran downstairs at a mad dash to celebrate.

Ranma trailed behind them to grab a quick bite to eat before he went to get ready. As he entered the kitchen, Kasumi ran up to him and hugged him with all the intended love of an elder sister. "Ranma, I'm so happy! Akane is blessed to have someone caring like you to fill her life!"

Ranma blinked. "Word travels fast!"

Nabiki popped up behind her older sister and flashed him a sly grin. "Well, well, well. Aren't you the lady killer! I always knew you had it in you, Ranma! I should have started a betting pool on this. I'd be making a killing on how far the two of you will go tonight." She sighed with remorse, and shrugged comically. "Such is fate, I guess."

Ranma blushed. "Awwww, come on, it's only a crummy date!"

"True, but this could be the start of something much bigger!" Nabiki stepped up to him, spreading her arms wide. "If this keeps up, Daddy might move you into her room and think of what might happen _then_! Not even your stubborn attitude and her tempter can compete against a healthy dose of the vertical tango."

"Nabiki!" Ranma couldn't think of anything else to say. He really didn't see what the fuss was about. Why was a date such a big deal?

Kasumi smiled at him in a motherly way. "You are such a gentleman! I know you'll do the right thing." She bowed her head. "Please look after our younger sister."

"Girls…" Shaking his head, Ranma walked over to the fridge and decided that it would probably be best to ignore them until he left for the movies. He wolfed down a sandwich then hopped up to his room to get ready, ignoring the elation that was spreading throughout the house.

* * *

Akane chose a pretty dress from her closet and tried it on. It clung to her body nicely, showing off the beautiful athletic figure she tried so hard to maintain. The garment was also a tad on the short side, ending about four inches above her knees. She flashed a mischievous grin, knowing Ranma was in for the tease of his life. There were times when even she liked to dress up, though she had never wore something that provocative to the movies. But tonight was going to be special and she wanted to catch Ranma's attention without the daily distractions from his regular cheering squad.

"Maybe I am overdoing it," she said out loud, shrugging her shoulders. "I am overdressing for a simple trip to the movies. But so what! This is a once in a life time opportunity to change things up a bit."

Applying some red lipstick and a touch of eye shadow, she looked at herself in the mirror and was startled at what she saw. She was no longer the regular tomboy Ranma picked on much of the time. In the mirror she saw a beautiful young woman with a surprised look on her face. She realized suddenly that she looked exactly like her mother had in high school picture she had gazed at once while going through an old family scrap book.

She glanced up, smiling slightly out her window at the night sky. _Mother, your little girl is growing up. I'll make you proud of me!_

She wondered what Ranma would think of her. Would he like her or would he make a rude remark as was his custom? There was only one way to find out. Slipping on a pair of red high heels, she walked down the hall and knocked on Ranma's door.

"Come in," he called.

She nervously opened the door, keeping her courage up. Ranma was in the middle of putting on his shoes and didn't look up immediately. He was dressed in his best casual outfit which consisted of a white shirt and black pants.

"We'd better hurry, or we'll miss the previews. I hate doing that," he added, lacing up his shoes.

"Ranma, what do you think of my outfit?" Akane found herself shaking, and was slightly annoyed as a result. So much rode on his reply and with his track record of bumbling things up, she had every right to worry. Never-the-less, the fact that she found herself ready to cling to his every word seemed slightly pathetic for some reason.

Ranma looked up at her and his eyes bulged out until they were the size of dinner plates. "Akane... what, errr, I mean..." His brain began to overload and smoke vented out from his ears. He took a moment to kick himself and forced his brain and mouth to get a grip before he said the wrong thing.

"Umm, you sure you want to wear that to the movies?" he asked cautiously.

A cold pit formed in Akane's stomach. "Does that mean you think I look bad then?"

Ranma looked up at her again, flashing a look of confusion. He started to answer, but then, by some miracle a dose of realization lit his eyes up. He shook his head. "Nah, you look great Akane, I mean that." He flashed a rare genuine smile.

Akane's shoulders sagged with relief and her soul entered cloud nine air space. "Do you really mean it?"

"Yeah, big time. It's nice ta' see you get all dressed up once in a while!"

Akane blushed. "You look good too..." She loved how his shirt showed off his lean, powerful muscles. She had always admired that about him. Sure she had seen him naked before on accident, and he had seen her to boot, but she found herself admiring more than just his figure. She was attracted to him as a person, and at last she had realized it would do no good to deny it, especially to herself.

Ranma looked down at his shirt. "Yeah, well, I didn't really have nothin' fancy. This is about the best outfit I got."

"It suits you, the white goes good with your black hair and pants."

Now it was Ranma's turn to flush bright red. She had never complimented his appearance like that before and he wasn't sure how to react or what to say. He decided to change the course of the conversation by bringing up a distraction. His chances of saying something stupid increased by sixty percent when he was flustered.

He coughed and looked down at his hands. "We'd better leave if we want to make the show."

Akane nodded. Standing up, he walked over to the door and held it open for her, nodding for her to go. This shocked her to no end. He was never so polite. She smiled at him and walked out the door. I guess tonight will see a lot of first time things between us.

The two filed down the stairs and were greeted by Soun and Genma. Both, it seemed, were already intoxicated from drinking a little too much Sake' They were dancing around the living room and singing old travelers songs, ignoring Nabiki's annoyed shouts as she tried to tune into the stock report on the TV.

"You two look very nice!" Kasumi clasped her hands together, smiling happily.

Nabiki came up behind Ranma and whistled, grinning wildly. "Woohoo! Nice choice of pants, Ranma!" She eyed him up and down appreciatively. "It shows off your butt really well!"

Ranma blushed deeply... again.

"Don't worry, Ranma, I think you have a cute butt." Akane whispered in his ear, clearly not able to resist poking fun at his embarrassment. She brought her hand to her mouth and flushed as well. "Did I just say that?!"

"…." Ranma felt like he was going to pass out.

"Oh, the two of you look so wonderful," Kasumi said, her eye's growing misty. "Mother would be so proud of you, Akane!"

Akane smiled brightly as Ranma led her out the door, winking at her sister. "She is proud of me, Kasumi. I just know it. She's watching over all of us!"

"We won't be out too late." Ranma casually waved good-bye to the others and closed the door, glad to be escaping the embarrassing scene. The cool night air filled his lungs and he breathed deeply, finally feeling up to relaxing his guard, if only a little. Walking beside Akane, he stole a glance at her and felt a light blush touch the bridge of his nose. She was cute, perhaps not in the sexy way that Shampoo came across as, but Akane was different. Akane was Akane, and therefore, the only girl he wanted.

When they were sure their children had gone, Soun and Genma stopped dancing. "Our disguise has been successful, Tendo!" Genma cried out in triumph.

Soun nodded, and struck a manly pose. "Now, we must commence with phase two of the plan! We've waited too long for this moment! We must make sure nothing interrupts them tonight!" With that, the two rushed out the door.

The two Tendo sisters looked at each other in surprise then shrugged, returning to their normal routines. When Soun and Genma got an idea in their heads, one could never know what to expect. Nabiki turned back to the TV and Kasumi began picking up the empty Sake' containers.

"Saotome!" Soun shouted in jubilation as they passed out of hearing range. "We should start planning their next wedding!"

Kasumi shook her head in mild amusement. "Oh father, father, father."

* * *

Ranma and Akane walked side by side on the way to the theater, truly enjoying each other's company for the first time in weeks. For once there was no casual indifference between each other. They didn't have to pretend not to have an interest in one another and it shocked Ranma how _good _it felt to just unwind and drop his smart mouth for once. They chatted about little things at school and the dozen's of rumors involving them that circulated through the busy halls.

Ranma gradually started talking about his fight with Ryoga, recapping the details of the entire fight. Akane's eye's glazed over and a look of concern touched her features as he spilled everything, including his fears about how serious things became.

"He's really gotten stronger hasn't he? Are you worried? I mean… worried that things might get out of hand?" She eyed him intently, prepared for his usual reply about he would 'really beat the pants off of Ryoga the next time he saw him.' She was thrown completely off course when he presented a completely different answer than she had anticipated. Ranma was cocky, that was just a fact of his personality. The few times he had been entirely truthful about his own feelings on a matter never failed to take her by surprise.

"Yeah, I'm worried a little. Ryoga is my strongest rival and when he gets mad he goes into a berserk rage. If he gets any stronger one of us is going to get hurt... maybe even killed. I really don't know what to do. I'm good when it come to fighting, but it hasn't solved anything in this case."

Akane couldn't remember the last time Ranma had been so open with her in regards to a touchy subject. She was silent for a moment, thinking of a proper response. "Talk to him civilly for once. Make up with him and put the past behind yourselves," she suggested.

Ranma smiled grimly, turning to look at the long sparsely populated road ahead of them that led through town. "I would if I could, Akane, believe me! It's our past that's keeping us fighting."

"What do you mean?" Akane was more than a little confused.

"I...can't tell you, even though I want to. I took a vow and now I-"

"OHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOHOHOOHOHOHOH O! Ranma, my love, you have finally come for me, perched on the very wings of love itself!"

Ranma's blood went ice cold. There was only one person whose laugh could frighten him to such an extent. The cold feeling settled into the pit of his gut and he found himself wanting to flee, to escape that nightmarish laugh at all costs. He'd rather face the nine levels of hell then the monster he knew was coming.

_No, not Kodachi! Why I the world did she chose this night and this exact time to show up!?_ A cold sweat broke out across his brow.

Sasuke and Kodachi sprinted down the road towards him. The diminutive ninja was carrying a mountain of bags and boxes of various sizes that he just barely managed to balance in his arms. Evidently the two had just been shopping and had just happened to see him by chance. It was just plain bad luck that life wouldn't cut Ranma a break.

Kodachi jumped on him like a hungry Lion pounces on a Zebra, wrapping her powerful gymnastics honed legs around him so tightly he couldn't breathe. "Ranma, my love! Darling, do forget about that homely featured peasant girl and go on a date with me instead."

Akane fumed silently, clutching her hand into a tight fist. "Kodachi…"

_Uh oh, Akane's going to go home if this keeps up! I gotta' do something!_ He tried to push the gymnast off but she clung to his waist fiercely. He mashed his teeth, fighting a tug of war against her with himself being the rope. _No! I won't let her ruin this!_

He was getting angry. Using all his strength, he finally pried her from his body, pushing her somewhat roughly away from him. "Me n' Akane are going to the movies and I won't let you ruin it! Go home, Kodachi. Now!"

Akane gasped in surprise. _Ranma's never told any of the other girls to take a hike before, at least not this directly! What's gotten into him tonight? Could it be that he's actually doing this for me, for my benefit?_

Kodachi sighed in happiness, oblivious as ever to his true meaning. "I love it when you talk tough, my dearest darling. It makes you seem so manly."

"I get the feeling you never really listen to what I have to say." Ranma took a hesitant step backwards, unsure of how to deal with this situation.

Kodachi laughed again and drew out her gymnastics' ribbon. "I will free you from this nasty girl's hold, my love!" She threw off her clothes, revealing a green leotard underneath that was more than a tad too revealing. She lunged at Akane with a vengeance, hand trailing back as she prepared to lash out with her ribbon.

"Oh no you don't! Not tonight!" Soun and Genma appeared from the shadows and tackled her. "We've waited far too long for them to get this far! We won't let you ruin all our hard work!"

"Let me go you degenerates! Let me go!" Kodachi struggled desperately; giving them both looks that promised imminent death and misery if they failed to comply. They dog piled on top of her, pinning her body to the ground despite her struggles.

"I'm sorry miss, but we can't do that," Soun said. "Ranma, Akane, go! We'll hold her."

Ranma nodded and, grabbing Akane's hand, he led her off at a fast sprint down the street. He took a left down a familiar side ally, putting all his heart into simply getting away from her. Kodachi was stubborn and he didn't want to have to run around all night with her in pursuit. Akane struggled to keep up, and almost stumbled along the way.

"Watch it Ranma! It's not easy to run in heels!"

"Hang on, Akane! Just a bit more." Dodging into a crowd of people, Ranma slowed up, blending in with the masses to further conceal themselves.

When they were safely away, Soun and Genma released her and helped her up. They bowed to her deeply. Sasuke approached her and looked from her to the older men, not exactly sure of what to make of the situation or what to do about it.

"You understand, don't you miss? We're just concerned parents." Genma flashed a smile that could fool a crooked lawyer.

"No hard feelings, ok?" Soun dusted her off.

"None at all sirs…" Kodachi said sweetly.

Soun and Genma were thrown into the stratosphere seconds later. Kodachi continued home as Sasuke followed close behind, struggling to hold up the mountain of good's she had purchased. "Mistress, could you possibly carry some of these? My back hurts."

Kodachi took no notice of his words and growled, gritting her teeth. _I will have you yet Ranma dearest, just you watch!_

* * *

Ranma paid for two tickets and got them into the movie without further incident. He also bought a tub of popcorn and soda's to tide them over since running through half of Nerima had made them work up an appetite. Few were attending the movie tonight so they had their choice of seats and elected to sit in the middle of the theater.

"Ranma," Akane began, looking over at him once they had settled into their seats. She forced herself to say the words she so dearly wanted to say. It still wasn't easy to open up to him, and that would take time to remedy. "Thank you."

"What for?" Ranma stuffed his mouth full of popcorn, reclining his head against the back of the seat.

"For standing up to Kodachi and caring enough to stop her from ruing our… date."

"Feh, I had to do it! I just get so sick of all these girls harassing me and claiming me all the time!" A strong look crossed his face and he took a long slurp of his soda, far louder than necessary.

She cast her eyes down at her shoes. "Am I one of those girls Ranma?"

He gulped, growing flustered. "O-of course not! You're different."

Akane looked him square in the eye. "Oh? How am I different Ranma?" She wouldn't back down, not this time. Even if he said something nasty to cover up his embarrassment, she wanted to know how he felt about this certain matter. Actions were important but so were words. Nearly half their fights came about as a result of Shampoo, Ukyo, or Kodachi.

"Well, I uh... you just are ok?! I mean you're... my fiancée and all..." He twiddled his fingers nervously. "Man, I aint good at stuff like this. But… you get what I'm sayin' right?"

Akane smiled and took his hand in her own, deciding not to press the matter any further. Ranma gulped again and looked into her shining gray eye's that were brimming over with tears. _I love you Ranma Saotome._ She smiled inwardly. _You may be a jerk at time but you're my jerk! I think I'll keep you around a while._

_What is this I'm feelin'?_ Ranma wondered, holding his free hand to his chest in amazement. He had felt something like it before, like the time when Akane had first cut her hair short and had stared up at him, smiling happily after he had gone out of his way to cheer her up. For all his insult throwing, he knew he truly held feelings for the girl. The question was, how deep did those feelings run?

"You ok, Akane?"

She closed her eyes and smiled slightly, wiping her eyes. "Yeah, let's watch the movie shall we?"

The move started a moment later and the lights overhead dimmed to nothingness. The two teenagers directed their attention towards the screen. Akane laid her head on Ranma's shoulder, allowing herself, for once, to just let go and be his fiancée without any worry or embarrassment. They kept their hands interlocked throughout the whole movie, and each felt a silent thrill as they experienced each other's touch. As Ranma sat there allowing strange new sensations to take him by storm, he found himself wishing the night would never end.

* * *

Konatsu sat on his bed in the side bedroom that made up the upstairs living area of Ukyo's restaurant. Dusk had come and the night life and sounds of Tokyo filtered in from the open nearby window. Small and effeminate, Konatus could sit on the window sill without fear of breaking the wooden frame. He did so now, dangling his bare feet in mid air he watched as the last vestiges of light disappeared behind the tall skyscrapers of Shinjuku.

He heaved a heavy sigh, knowing it was the last sunset he would enjoy watching from this window for quite some time to come. It was time to go. The decision he'd been thinking on for almost a month had finally been made. It hadn't been an easy one, especially not after having spent so many months under the same room as the woman he loved.

Downstairs Ukyo was humming a tune as she cleaned up the kitchen and closed shop. The tune was especially cheerful which led Konatsu to believe that she was going through the cherished ritual of counting the cash register. Just thinking of her sent a pang of anguish screaming through his heart and Konatsu leaned forward, folding his hands on his lap, expertly balancing his weight on the thin window sill.

Ukyo had been so very good to him. She took him in and gave him food, shelter, and even a miniscule income. It was a far better life than the one he'd endured at the hands of his cruel family. For the last six months he'd been ever so happy. Each day the sun came up he rose to happily face the day.

Under normal circumstances he would have been content to live this lifestyle indefinitely. There were two problems that kept this from being a reality however. The first was that all the good intentions, all the good efforts he made on Ukyo's behalf didn't make up for his clumsiness in her restaurant. He could balance a sharpened knife on his fingertip without drawing blood but carrying an order on a tray was a task that often resulted in broken dishes. This had earned the ire of Ukyo on more than one occasion.

The second problem and by far the more serious was that he'd fallen in love with the warrior chef. Originally he'd been fine with enduring an unrequited love an counted himself lucky just to be in her presence. However, despite his feminine charms, mannerisms, and dress habits, he was still a man at heart. Like all good men, he could only endure so much of the powerful one-sided emotion before the pain became unbearable.

Konatsu brushed a hand through his long black hair as the wind caught it and blew it into his face. He wanted her to himself. It was selfish and greedy but he couldn't deny his heart. There had been enough time spent in Ukyo's company to know with utter certainty that she wasn't into the idea of entering a relationship with a cross-dressing ninja. He would have to change for the chance to win her heart and in order to change his life had to change. The only way to make his life change was to do what most warriors did in order to improve themselves. He would go off on a long training journey and he wouldn't return until he could be the man Ukyo needed and deserved. He certainly did not want to go but unless he did there would be no future beyond what now existed and he would forever exist outside of Ukyo's heart.

Nodding sharply while wiping away tears, Konatsu back flipped out of the windowsill and began to pack up his meager belongings. The entirety of his life's possessions fit into one backpack and he hoisted it onto his shoulders with a grunt of effort. His dark eyes scanned the room one more time, burning it and the memories of his time here into his mind to recall during hard times to come.

Packing had been the easy part. Now came the monumental task of breaking the news to Ukyo while staying strong. He'd dropped hints the last few weeks but had offered nothing concrete. Gripping the banister, he stepped heavily down the stairs and rounded the corner to the kitchen.

"Good evening, miss Ukyo," he said softly, moving into her line of sight.

"Hey there." Ukyo half turned from the kitchen sink. Her smile turned to one of confusion as she noticed the backpack on his shoulders. She gave him a questioning look, drying her hands on a hand towel and turning to face him.

"I uh…" Konatsu cleared his throat.

"What's wrong?" Ukyo asked, putting her hands on the countertop.

"N-nothing." Konatsu shook his head. "I just… need to leave. Go. On a training journey."

Ukyo relaxed visibly. "Oh, why didn't you say so? I'm engaged to a martial artist. I know how these things go."

Konatsu chuckled without humor, casting his eyes towards the ground when the word engaged came up. "Yes. I am aware."

"So, how long are you going to be gone for?"

The question he was dreading to answer. It took all of his willpower to look her directly in the eye. "I'm… I'm not sure, Ukyo."

Her smile faltered somewhat. "Oh."

"It isn't like you won't see me again," he said, waving his hands frantically. "I'll just be gone for a while." A pause. "Maybe a long while."

"I see," she said. Even though it was clear she didn't. "This is rather sudden, huh?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't make my mind up until about an hour ago. But this is something I need to do. I can be so much more and I owe it to myself to try. If I don't, I'll never know what kind of a man I could be."

Ukyo looked at him in surprise. It wasn't often that he acted like a man. Behind the girlish looks and timid nature there might be a man among men waiting to come out. He was certainly no Tsubasa, that much was sure. Perhaps this training journey was exactly what was needed.

"You gotta do what you gotta do, sugar," she said, wishing she had something more profound to say. The suddenness of the situation had caught her completely unaware.

Konatsu lowered her head until her bangs concealed eyes threatening to run over with tears. "Thank you so much for everything you've done for me. I'll not forget your kindness and I swear to you, one day I'll return a better man and repay you."

"Nevermind all that formal stuff. Just come back and let me know you are ok," Ukyo said. "I hope you can find what you are after."

_What I want is right here in front of me. Earning her is what I seek. _He smiled to conceal his heartache. "Well, I better be off. See you again one day, Ukyo."

Rounding the counter Ukyo walked him to the door and stood there giving a small supportive smile as Konatsu took to the streets. "Good luck to you, Konatsu. See you again."

He turned and waved before heading out down the street. "Bye for now, Ukyo."

She waved until he made it further down the street and out of sight. Unbeknownst to Ukyo, the determined yet grieving ninja left a trail of tears on the street as he walked away, intent on trading the only real happiness he's ever had in a hopeful bid for even greater happiness to come.

Ukyo stepped back into the empty restaurant. Looking around she noted the silence and couldn't help but feel a little melancholy. It had been fun having someone else to share her space with and talk to on a regular basis. The next few days were going to be especially lonely. Konatsu had been a strange one but even a blind man would have noticed just how big of a heart the unfortunate ninja had.

"Guess I should finish up."

Stepping back outside her restaurant, Ukyo took down the flag curtain that hung from the front of her restaurant, signaling that she was closing down for the evening. Wiping away sweat from her bangs that had accumulated from long hours over the hot grill, she enjoyed the pleasant night air as it whispered through her hair, cooling her skin. Her attentive brown eyes scanned the stars as they twinkled across the heavens and she thought, as she usually did during the evenings, of Ranma. The bright blue stars matched his eyes. She wondered if he too was looking at the same stars as she was.

Ranma was as far from a romantic as a person could get, but Ukyo still had her hopes and dreams. He was still maturing, changing in ways the boys of his age did and while the boy certainly wasn't about to come over and sweep her off her feet anytime soon, it didn't mean he wouldn't wise up eventually and get with the program. Ukyo knew all she had to do was be patient and wait. She had waited over twelve years. A few more couldn't possibly hurt.

_Speaking of sweeping…_ Whistling softly, she grabbed her broom from its resting spot against the wall and began to sweep clean the walkway in front of her restaurant. Her skinny arms were stronger than they looked, honed from years of wielding her huge combat spatula. She pushed the broom around at a pace so fast it was nearly a blur. She smiled slightly, pleased with her skills, especially since she had never received formal martial arts training. Her techniques and styles were completely unorthodox and the fact that she was better than Akane, who had always been a dedicated student to the Anything-Goes style, pleased her to no end.

She smiled with self assurance. _That's why Ranma will choose me. He's a fighter and is naturally drawn to strength. Akane's not a bad person but she's too weak and her temper will only keep pushing him away. It's all so sad really. At this rate, she'll never find a decent husband, especially not with that volatile disposition. Ah well, C'est la vie._

She shrugged her shoulders and resumed sweeping. The problems within the Tendo household weren't really her concern. If anything the chaos there could only speed up the day in which Ranma would wise up and come rushing to her waiting arms. She stood the chance of making quite a bit of money in the coming years if the restaurant continued to do well. She knew all too well that a secure financial base was very appealing to any man.

The streets were nearly empty so she couldn't have missed the familiar, and extremely disliked, face of Kodachi as she walked with her little ninja manservant in tow. Her normally psychotic disposition was currently dampened by a look of distress and shock, two emotions she clearly wasn't used to expressing. Feeling a mischievous streak run through her, Ukyo couldn't help but make fun of her rival's troubled expression.

Grinning, she dropped the broom and placed her hands on her hips, tossing her long brown hair over her shoulder. "What's the matter, Kodachi? Did the mental therapy clinic turn you down again?"

Kodachi turned her head to look at Ukyo and her downcast expression hardened as her eyes exploded with contained anger. It couldn't replace a rivaling look of sadness though, and Ukyo noticed it right away. "Simpleton, if only you knew why I was mad, you wouldn't be so quick to mock me."

Ukyo's grin faded some. That hadn't been the reaction she had been hoping to create. "I don't think you'd be so quick to insult _me _if I planted my spatula against the side of your head. Then again, that might fix the loose screw up there. Are you lookin' for a fight?"

Kodachi seemed to deflate again, toning down her Kuno family arrogance a notch. "Oh, what's the point? I've lost my motivation tonight. Poke fun at me if you wish. You'll not get another angry reaction out of me."

Ukyo scratched her head in puzzlement. "That isn't like you at all. Just what was it that happened tonight to depress you so much?"

Her rival turned her nose up. "Humph! Why would I tell you? You're my enemy after all. I don't gossip with my foes. Go back to sweeping, commoner! Slave to the masses and sweep up the garbage on the streets. That's a perfect lot in life for you."

That struck a nerve and Ukyo had to resist the urge to run up and slap her. "Listen here, psycho, and listen well! I don't know who you think you are, but unlike you, I _work _for my living! I go to bed every night knowing that I accomplished something and earned my own money and to finance my way through life. You've always had everything given to you on a silver platter by your rich family. You don't know the meaning of a hard days work and if you ran out of money tomorrow you would have no chance of surviving in the world. I'll be able to support Ranma when he comes to me knowing I did so with my own hands as a working girl. That's one thing you cant say for yourself."

At last Kodachi did laugh, though it was bitter and not as loud as was her custom. "From the looks of things, Ranma will not be gracing your life or mine anytime soon. He's busy with that Tendo tramp."

Ukyo felt her stomach contract. It felt like a fist of ice had just reached within her gut and enclosed it, squeezing painfully. "What are you talking about?"

Kodachi thumbed over her shoulder. "I just saw Ranma a little while ago. He and Akane Tendo are out on a date."

Ukyo found herself shaking her head, almost laughing. "A date?! Those two? No. Not in a million years. No, you're lying or mistaken or something."

Kodachi grimaced. "You have no idea how much I wish I was. I tried to take him away from her clutches but their meddling fathers stopped me. I have no idea where they went and I'm not feeling up to prowling the city searching for him tonight."

Ukyo leaned up against the wall of her restaurant, her mind spinning. "One date doesn't mean anything." She tried so hard to appear confident and cool with her response but she found her voice shaking. A deaf person could tell she was lying and she cringed visibly.

Kodachi resumed walking down the street, turning away from the overwhelmed girl. "Come along, Sasuke." She turned her head to look over her shoulder. "Spatula girl, I know I won't give him up without a fight and neither will you… but you should at least accept reality. He loves that girl. Heaven knows why, but he does." Her steps echoed away as she made her way down the street without saying goodbye.

Emotions in turmoil, Ukyo clutched at her heart. Her head swam as she struggled to regain her composure. "One date doesn't matter. They'll be fighting again like cats and dogs in no time!"

If that was the case, why was she struggling so hard to convince herself? Clenching her eyes closed, she fell to her knees, her hands over her heart as she felt it start to break. Ranma had never offered to take her on a date, so what made Akane worthy of such an honor? What did Akane have that she didn't?

"One date doesn't… mean anything… It doesn't. It doesn't!"

* * *

When the show was over, Ranma and Akane walked home in silence. It was a crisp, pleasant spring night and the entire town seemed to be enjoying it judging by the crowds that hadn't been there on their walk to the theater several hours ago. Several school kids passed them and pointed but Ranma and Akane paid them no heed. Tonight had been special and both of their spirits were soaring high. Let the student's gossip and talk about them tomorrow, tonight there would be no regrets.

They took their time going home and it only took Ranma a few moments to work up the courage to fish for her hand. Giggling cutely, Akane interlaced her fingers with his own, marveling, not for the first time, at the side and strength of his hand. They watched the businesses in town close shop for the night and the clubs started up, attracting the social night life to their exciting atmospheres.

Finally, they reached the front steps of the house. Ranma stopped short and felt a twinge of disappointment flood through him. It was so pleasant, why did it have to end? Why couldn't time allow such nice moments to last forever? After the last two chaotic years, wasn't it time for a break?

Suddenly, Akane turned to Ranma and gave him a quick, shocking peck on his cheek that sent electrical surges coursing through his body. Her eyes met his and she smiled shyly, judging his reaction. "Thank you for a wonderful time, Ranma. I promise I'll never forget it."

She turned with the grace of an angel and walked into the house, winking at him as she turned. Ranma just stood there by the front steps long after she had gone inside. A look of pure happiness crossed over his blushing face and a grin parted his lips. At last he finally understood the true concept of his attraction to Akane. He loved her, and he had for some time. Whistling happily, he walked into the house and hopped up the stairs to change his clothes and get ready for bed.

Watching from a nearby bush, Soun and Genma grinned broadly and slapped each other high five. "Operation Uninterrupted Date: Success!"


	8. Chapter Seven: Assault on Lord Herb

Chapter seven: Assault on Lord Herb

"Loyal warriors of the Musk Dynasty, hear the words of your Emperor!" Herb, the twenty third Emperor of the Musk Dynasty, looked down at his vast army from a balcony located at the top level of his black stoned fortress. His voice rang out loudly, echoing throughout the land like thunder during a storm. Though normally quiet in nature, the Dragon King began his speech with a deep booming voice, a voice that demanded respect and instant attention.

Thousands of soldiers that made up the first corps, clad in modern fatigues stood assembled in formation below him, awaiting his declaration of war. The Emperor's voice was, even now, being carried across the empire to the ears of his citizens and military alike via television, internet, and radio. This anticipated event was to be the biggest event that had ever occurred in the modern empire's history. To say that the citizens of the Musk Dynasty were listening and clinging to his words was an understatement.

"For many years, our empire has been strong. We've made the whole of western China ours thru bloodshed and countless sacrifices. Yet, despite all these successes, one thing still remains beyond our grasp: the village of the Amazon women!" He spoke the name with disgust and his narrow eyes flashed with intensity.

He pounded on the podium in which his microphone was attached to. "For thousands of years, far before our empire came into existence, our tribe as fought many incredible battles with these vermin. Somehow we were always thwarted. When we gathered anew after the Qing dynasty faded into the pages of history and formed our own new dynasty, the Joketsuzoku Amazons struck us hard and often, jealous of the land we claimed as our own. Through the strength of our people, we managed to hold our own. They killed our women and children in retaliation, and destroyed our towns and cities with impunity! But tomorrow that changes my friends! Tomorrow, we will slay the Amazon's in savage combat and pay them back in kind!"

He raised his fist to the sky and the men below him bellowed a loud war cry.

"Tomorrow we march into glorious battle. This coming conflict mark the fall of the Amazon nation! Return to your wives and rest, warriors of the 1st corp., but be ready for the coming war! We depart at dawn.-

Lord Herb, the great emperor with the power and virtues of a dragon flowing through his veins, gave another savage cry and his men cheered, waving their weapons in the air. He watched for a long time as the large masses of men break apart as they returned to their homes, some for the last time.

He turned his gazed up and looked out at the beautiful evening horizon as a cool breeze ran through his hair. The setting sun reflected off of the dragon scale armor he wore on his body and he glowed a magnificent golden hue. From the distance, he looked like a shimmering being of light, omnipotent and indescribably beautiful.

He thought of the Amazon hordes as he gazed at the distant mountains that separated his land from the disputed lands of the Amazons and his very being filled with unquenchable hate. "Joketsuzoku scum…"

Herb had lost his father ten years prior during the last of the great battles against the Amazon's, leaving him to the care of his people. His mother had died three years before that to cancer. The loss of both his parents over such a short period of time had hardened him into a tight-fisted warrior. For over a year, he had retreated into himself, swelling with sadness and anger. The two losses hurt young Herb more than he would ever dare admit, even to himself. He was somewhat unstable as a result and he understood that. The events that had involved the Amazon's had given birth to a hatred that sent him into the embrace of rage at times. The little life-changing plunge at Jusenkyo hadn't helped his mental stability either.

Over time, he had learned to control his fits of anger and maintain his powerful and invulnerable image in front of the public. But today, on the eve of battle, he couldn't help himself. His powerful body shook with rage as his soul cried out for revenge. He knew that in the battle to come, the Lord the Musk Dynasty would disappear and leave a killing machine in its place with a quest for vengeance and a taste for blood. Too many of his people had died needlessly; too many homes had been shattered in pointless raids and attacks. It was time for a closure. The ancient battle between Amazon and Musk was going to end very soon.

_Soon Amazons, you will pay the price for resisting my power! You will suffer twice as bad for the murder of my father! But for now, I need to relax. I must conserve my power for the battles to come._

He shook his head to clear it and forced himself to calm, clenching and unclenching his fist repeatedly while he took deep cleansing breathes. He decided to forget his anger for the moment and focused on the matters at hand. After all, planning a war was a tough job.

While the Musk preferred to hold onto the old ways of living, (males older than six were kept away from women for training purposes until they reached the age suitable for marriage, for instance,) the country wasn't entirely against change. Tradition and technology had blended together nicely. Older styled villages still flourished in the capital suburbs and villages, but office buildings and skyscrapers existed as well. Herb's royal guards, the Elite Jun,still brandished traditional weapons while the rest of his vast military had harnessed the power of guided rockets, long range artillery, and automatic rifles. They had built a small navy as well, one the patrolled the Musk-owned coastline like the Chinese wooden ships of old.

Their enemies, the Amazons, had adopted a similar plan of action. Their vast tribe had built a huge series of buildings and tunnels under their village and they possessed modern weapons bought from all over the world. It was a threat the Musk couldn't ignore, not with the Communists looking for any excuse they could to take the Musk territory for their own thereby reuniting all of china under one banner.

Taking a calming breath and forcing that train of thought from his mind, he pushed his hair back behind his slightly pointed ears and gathered his wits about him.

"Mint, Lime, come here!" He barked the order with strength.

Two men detached themselves from the shadows created by two large pillars which flanked the door that led from the balcony to Herb's chamber. They bowed humbly before him, neither daring to look into his eyes.

"You summoned us my lord," they asked in unison.

Herb turned around to face the two guards. "Come now, my friends. Rise and face me. There isn't need for such formality here." His voice held an affectionate tone reserved only for those closest to him. Mint and Lime complied, both rising with an attentive stance, ready to act on his command.

Mint, the weaker of the two watched his master with large, watchful eyes, stroking the skin's of a wolf he wore over his clothes. Small, fast, and cunning: these were the traits that had earned him the title of bodyguard of the Emperor. He was unmatched in his skill with throwing knives which he threw with deadly accuracy every time. In battle he was like a wolf, savage, and quick.

Mint glanced at his master's powerful dark eyes and nervously fiddled with the handle of a knife attached to his belt. He never felt completely comfortable in Herb's presence. The Dragon Emperor's body radiated with ki and his strength was a thing of legends, like the great dragons themselves. Mint often wondered how such a powerful man had lost a battle to a commoner like Ranma.

Then again, he shouldn't really be thinking about being beaten by a commoner. He had always thought that he was the fastest warrior in the Orient and it was that skill that had always landed him the stealth missions. He was defeated at Mousse's hands, a fellow Chinese boy and an Amazon to boot. That fact stung more than anything. He had been fast but Mousse was faster still. In his heart, he wanted nothing more than to prove that it had been only a fluke, to correct that past wrong.

Soon, I will have vengeance, he thought. I'll show Mousse what true speed looks like! A mischievous smile appeared on his face like lightening but he wiped it away just as quickly when he saw his master was about to speak. When Herb spoke, one gave him his absolute attention.

Lime, the stronger and more confident of the two stared at his master with feral, cat-like eyes and waited for a command. He dressed in the skins of a tiger that barely managed to cover his powerful form. The skins crossed over rippled muscles and, like Mint, two long shoulder pads extended from his shoulders. He preferred no weapon and loved to use unarmed combat where he could use his strength to crush his enemy.

Still, in the back of his mind he knew he was wasn't the strongest fighter anymore. A vision of Ryoga beating him senseless appeared in his mind and he snarled savagely, clenching his hand into a tight fist. It had turned his already confusing trip to Japan into an inexcuseable failure.

I'm sure that if I fought him again I would be stronger! Soon, I'll return to Japan and claim my victory. He too silenced his thought when he saw Herb was about to speak.

"My warriors, my friends!" Herb placed his hands on each of their shoulders.

"Long have you both served me well. In our first battle against the Amazon's so many years ago, I requested your strength," he glanced over at Lime, "and your speed," he turned to face Mint. Both bodyguards took pride in his compliments and puffed their chests out ever so slightly. Compliments from Herb were rare and far between.

"Then, when we faced off against Ranma Saotome and his friends, your skills were a blessing that saved us from peril and misfortune. Now I request that you use that power again in the war to come, a war to end all wars with the Amazons. Will you guard me as I lead my forces to victory?"

The two boys nodded. "We will serve you faithfully to the end, Lord." Mint bowed low.

Herb nodded and motioned for them to follow him. "General Malleic is here reviewing our strategy with his subordinates. Come join us."

He threw open the large doors to his personal bedchamber and moved to the far wall where a large grid map of China hung. The map showed the exact location of the Musk Dynasty, the Amazon village, and all friendly units between the two. Three black lines lead up to the Amazon village from different directions, passing the pinpointed objective points that were placed at various strategic locations along the way. Reviewing the map was a tall, medium built, slightly gray-haired soldier, who analyzed the data with his sharp tactical eyes. Occasionally he'd break his silence to point something out to his staff who took personal notes for him to look over at a later time.

Lime studied the battle plan for a moment then made an irritated clicking sound with his teeth. "Master, there is no need for all this planning and organizing. Give me direct control of our men and I will give you the results you seek! Armed with our latest technology and air support we cannot lose! I will lead our army to their very gates and level that village myself!"

Herb cut him off with a raise of his hand. While bold, it was evident that his bodyguard's military experience was somewhere near zero. "No Lime! You know full well that the Amazon's are far stronger and smarter than that! Real strategy must be used in this day in age. The days of battlefield brawling is long over. My spies have reported a drastic build up in Amazon military supply trains over the last few months. Also, for the first time, the savages are forming a true army of their own, with capable officers to lead them. My spies have confirmed this. We must go about this cautiously!"

He pointed to a spot colored in red on the map. "We recently had several male Amazon's defect to our side. They told us of a secret underground tunnel that leads right into the center of the village. This tunnel is said to be big enough to move whole regiments through. They said it was designed back before the Battle of the Mountain ten years ago to quickly move and surprise attack our caravans. My scouts have confirmed this information to be face value."

Herb grinned. -Now for the fun part! We can count on the fact that the end of the tunnel will be heavily guarded so a huge assault there would be a pointless waste of lives. The enemy could simply bottleneck our troops and pick them off at their leisure. Therefore, we need to draw as many of their warriors away from the exit as possible. Our three corps will set out tomorrow, and smash whatever interception force they rush out to meet us. From there, we will push them back, boxing them within the village's perimeter, if possible.

"Lime and Mint, you will lead two of General Haower's divisions because of your popularity and well standing with our men. We need moral to be at its highest. You will have two colonels to guide you in the decision making instances. These two divisions will be the 3rd Musk Combat Division, and the 11th.

-General Faing's Third Corps will accompany Haower's to provide immediate relief if the situation calls for it. Once we reach striking range of the Amazon's main command center, it will be his job to back you both up and harass the enemy's main gate from the Jusenkyo heights. That should send the fools running to us! Meanwhile, General Malleic's 1st Musk corps will fight its way up the tunnel and burn the city from within! By this time, the Amazon forces should be shattered, confused, and boxed in from both sides. From there, it will be a simple matter of picking them off or watching them burn."

Malleic nodded, squaring his broad shoulders, turning to address the others. A seasoned soldier in his early fifties, the senior general under Herb looked surprisingly youthful. The only indication of his age showed at his temples where the hair was turing gray against the short cropped head of black.

"In anticipation of an early Amazon strike that could disrupt our plans, General Faing has moved his corps to the base of the Jusenkyo bluffs to shield our advancing units. We have all three corps ready for battle, placing our forces at about 105,000 men, including our reserves. On paper, it's a perfect plan. The determination of our soldiers to end this war once and for all should keep moral within the ranks at an all time high, making this a relatively quick and decisive campaign."

"A marvelous set of plans, general," Lime echoed, bowing his head respectfully.

Herb nodded. "Indeed, it's a wonder we didn't think of such an attack years ago. Listen well, I am certain the enemy does not know we are aware of the tunnel, but it is very likely that they know of our coming attack. You can be sure that they will send their best assassins if they do. Guard the door and do not let anyone in. I grow weary for sleep."

Mint and Lime bowed. "As you wish, master."

General Malleic came to full attention with a fluid precision unknown to all but disciplined military soldiers. "Rise up in the name of the Dragon Emperor!"

Everyone in the room came to attention as well. "Rise up in the name of Dragon Emperor!"

Herb motioned with his hand. "Dismissed."

Malleic and his staff packed up and left moments later. Mint and Lime filed out last and closed the heavy door, leaving Herb alone with his thoughts. Sighing heavily, he sat on his large bed, utterly spent of mental energy. He gently massaged his temples in an attempt to ward off a nasty headache that had been plaguing him for most of the day. Things had been going at a fast pace all week and he needed a break. Even dragon's needed rest.

Being a ruler meant one had to always appear strong and powerful in the eye's of his subjects. To show one's true feelings was to make one seem fallible. That's what Herb believed first and foremost. But that didn't mean he wasn't human. He had his own problems, even if he pretended otherwise. He sighed again and placed his head in his hands, allowing his multicolored hair to fall around his troubled face like a veil. For a brief moment, loneliness touched his spirits which lay exposed for the first time in a very long while.

For years he had kept his inner self hidden and locked away. Now all that trapped emotion was beginning to weigh heavily on his spirits, begging to be released. He only wanted a friend, a companion that he could open up to without fear of being ridiculed or judged, and who wouldn't spread private news to the masses. Mint and Lime were the closest things to friend he had to filling this role, but they were his guards and comrades, which left little time for paling around. Their job was only to serve him.

_Stop this!_ _You're behaving like a child! _Herb snarled at himself and cut off the current train of thought. He had the future of his empire to think about and that left no time for self pity or personal want. All that could come after he accomplished what the previous two emperors could not.

He looked up at the ancient looking grandfather clock that hung on the far wall. The clock was just one of the many exquisite items that occupied the room but to Herb, it was the most precious of his belongings. Smiling slightly, he stood up and walked over to it. Memories rushed back as he gently ran his hand over it, feeling the smooth wood finish under his fingertips. The clock had been a gift from his father who had carved it and put the gears in single-handedly. He had given it to Herb as a battle present shortly before he was killed in the Battle of the Mountain.

The Musk and Amazon tribes had existed for centuries but it wasn't until the end of World War One that the modern Musk Dynasty had come into existence. The area carved out to serve as the lands under the Musk's control included the Amazon territories and the proud, female dominant society had no intention of being assimilated into the forged empire. For decades violent and indecisive wars had erupted between the two nations, and countless people had died as a result. Now at last, Herb, the third emperor of the Musk Dynasty, would end the cycle of violence and bring peace and order to the land.

Father, Herb thought to himself, I wish you were with me now. I am sure you would be proud of me.

He sighed sadly and removed his hand from the clock. His face set with determination and pride as a feral grin appeared, almost stretching from ear to pointed ear. "Just you watch, father! I will avenge you and bathe the ground with the blood of the entire Amazon village!"

He shook his fist up at the heavens, triggering a ki shockwave that rattled the room. Revenge would no be denied to him, he had waited too long and planned too hard to let anything stop justice from being served. His weariness forgotten, his aura surrounded him as adrenaline coursed through his veins.

Someone chuckled loudly and Herb whirled around in surprise. He hadn't heard anyone come in through the main door. Lime and Mint were guarding the entrance, and even if they had been defeated, the sounds of battle would have tipped him off instantly. No, this person had entered without making a sound or opening the door at all!

His grin reached his eyes and they danced red with delight. _How interesting_

He turned around and saw a man blanketed by a cloud of gray ki standing before him. He took up a loose defensive position, studying this uncanny phenomenon with interest.

_A ki shroud? What does this man hope to accomplish?_

"Your goals are admirable, Emperor Herb. However, I'm afraid that your little war will have to be canceled. I don't think you will be in any condition to fight when I get through with you."

"Who are you?" Herb's eyes never left his opponent. "Are you some sort of weak Amazon assassin? You are certainly original in appearance, aren't you? Coming here was a mistake, intruder, make no mistake of that. I will make you pay many times over for your arrogance."

"I am not here on the Amazon's behalf. I couldn't care less if their people live or die. Nothing about them is of my concern. I have come here for a different purpose, to punish you for a truly dishonorable folly that you made some time ago."

Herb raised an eyebrow. "And what might that be?"

The Shadow Warrior took a step forward and pointed a cloaked finger at Herb.

"You once fought against a Japanese boy named Ranma Saotome. You were defeated in that battle due to your own stupidity and overconfidence. To lose against a student of the 'Anything Goes' style of martial arts is to commit an unforgivable sin. I am here to punish you for that, and to see how strong you really are!"

Herb winced at his words and a long buried memory resurfaced despite his efforts to keep it away. During his fight with Ranma, the pigtailed boy had tricked him into placing too much energy into the air which Ranma had then used to create a revision of the Hiryu Shouten Ha. While Herb was quite aware of the effects of the final attack, the revised version had taken him completely by surprise and given him a bitter taste of defeat. It had been his first and only loss in battle.

"So you do not deny it? You do remember that defeat, don't you?"

Herb blanched as the statement triggered further memories. If defeat itself hadn't been bad enough, the mountain they had been dueling on had fallen apart and Ranma had actually saved his life. They had parted on friendlier terms, but that didn't change the fact that it had still been an embarrassing escapade.

Herb found himself growing angry and a low growl escaped his clenched teeth. While he didn't hate Ranma anymore by any means, being defeated by the commoner was still the single most embarrassing event that had ever happened to him. -Ranma was _very _lucky, Intruder. I'm far stronger now than I was then.-

"Is that so? I suppose we'll find out, wont we?"

"You've also underestimated my powers. What sort of weakling would need the protection of a ki shroud?!"

He casually raised his hand and threw a small ball of yellow energy at his opponent. The Warrior looked down in surprise as the ball hit his chest and quickly dissipated his energy cloak in much the same way that the sun banishes the dark of night. Shining golden light repulsed the Warrior's dark shadows, tearing it away from the armor underneath in a matter of seconds, showing his true form.

Herb gazed at his unveiled opponent with a mixture of subdued awe and disbelief. The Warrior's body was covered from head to toe in gray battle armor. Metal spikes rose from his large armored shoulder and arm pads and his face was completely concealed in a face mask and helmet that sported smaller spikes which started on his forehead and went back in a line to the back of his skull. His arms, legs, back, and chest gleamed, adding to his inhuman appearance. A quick flex of his metal gloved hands signaled that he was ready to fight. Stepping forward, the armor caught the light of the room's many candles. His metal clad boots clanked loudly on the marble floor as he stepped well inside Herb's comfort zone. All in all, he looked like a Samurai warrior Herb had once seen in an old Japanese history book.

The Musk lord laughed and turned to sit down upon his throne at the back of the room. "This is very amusing! I am sure that your reflexes are sluggish at best inside of that heavy armor. You are not even worthy of facing me in combat! You are all boast and no substance. Mint, Lime, come to my side!"

The door flung open and the two young men flew to their master's side. Their gaze fell on the Shadow Warrior and they dropped into combat stance, moving in front of Herb to shield him from harm. The Warrior paused for a moment, reassessing his situation. It was clear that he had never faced two on one odds before.

"Are you in danger, my lord," Lime asked.

Herb made a casual gesture and the door to his chamber swung closed. "My good friend, this foolish interloper is a hindrance to our plans. Kill him and throw his worthless body to the dogs! He will make the perfect sacrifice to the gods to ensure our victory."

Mint and Lime need no further instructions as they rushed forward, throwing themselves into combat mode. Moving side-by-side as one, they jumped into the air and launched their feet at the Warrior. Their attack connected with his breastplate armor and sent him crashing into the far wall, cracking its frame.

Herb watched this from his throne and laughed, growing more confident by the moment. "How entertaining his evening is turning out to be! There can't possibly be a better way to relieve stress than this!"

Yet, even as he enjoyed the show, he struggled to keep his ego in check and observed this threat for weaknesses. There had to be more to this opponent than meets-the-eye. He wouldn't have come to fight if he didn't have an edge of some kind.

"Give up. If you do, I wont have to hurt you." Mint said evening, running his hand over a particularly sharp knife. No doubt it was made to cut into the very heart of a man. Young and normally immature as a child of his age should be, he was all business now, showing power and determination of a man many times older.

"Refuse and we will personally tear you limb from limb," Lime added cracking his knuckles. "So please refuse. I haven't had a good fight in a long time!"

The armor clad fighter laughed and rose to his feet with outstretched fists. "You two clearly overestimate yourselves. Come on, I don't have time to waste on guards! Let's get this over with."

Mint threw six daggers with blinding speed but they clattered off the armor with no visible damage to show for it. Lime rushed forward, furiously throwing punches, laughing despite the seriousness of the situation. Bringing his hands together, he swung sideways, slamming into the side of the Warrior's face mask. The mysterious man half stumbled to the side, apparently dazed at the quick switch up of attacks

"Not as easy as you thought it would be?" Lime threw another punch, slamming his huge fist into the Warrior's midsection, hurling him backwards again.

Behind his mask, the man blinked in surprise. He had come to this castle tonight to battle Herb; he was completely aware of the emperor's skill and abilities. But clearly he'd made a tactical error, because he had no knowledge of these two guards and their apparent skill had momentarily gotten the better of him.

"I have you!" The tiger guard launched his hands outward, aiming for his opponent's neck.

With a burst of great speed, the Warrior stood up straight and locked his hands with the Lime's. The two grappled, each trying to overpower the other, staring each other down. The Warrior bore down on the guard, intensifying the strength of his grip, trying to break his opponent's fingers. He began to lean forward, a grunt of concentration escaping from his lips.

Lime's eyes widened in shock, and his grin faded. He had clearly hoped to overpower his enemy in a matter of seconds. No one could possibly move that fast after receiving the brunt of his strong attack, and yet, the unthinkable was happening before his eyes. He put all his power into his arms and leaned forward, pushing the Warrior's arms backwards again. At such an angle, he could surely dislocate the man's arms.

"You are strong," The warrior muttered, straining. "However, I cannot be overpowered so easily."

Crying out, his strength increased yet again, and he pushed Lime's hands away with ease. Turning his head slightly, he chuckled evilly and brought his left foot up, catching Mint in the face as he tried to sneak in close to attack. The attack propelled the boy's body away where he fell to the ground and skidded onto his side.

Lime couldn't believe how much power the man had as his enemy pressed on, straining the bodyguards arms to the limit. It isn't possible! No one is stronger than me! He thought frantically as his feral eyes went wide in fear.

Executing another attack with blinding speed, the Warrior brought his armored knee up and slammed it into Lime's jaw, completely shattering the bone it hit. The boy cried out in pain and watched as blood and several broken teeth flew out of his gaping mouth. However, he did not go down. Ignoring the pain, he threw his freed fist forward and smashed it into the Warrior's chest armor, denting it slightly and pushing the man backwards, away from Herb by several more feet. The Warrior grunted but managed to grab Lime's arm before he could pull it back to hit him again. Using the strength in his arms, the Warrior preformed an overhead throw, sending Lime crashing into the far wall. A sickening snapping of bones was clearly audible throughout the chamber. The stricken guard fell to the ground as blood oozed from his broken jaw. The light dimmed from his eyes as unconsciousness claimed his mind.

"Appearances aren't always as they seem, Lord Herb." The Warrior flexed his blood-stained gauntlet. "This armor is far more flexible than you would imagine. Lighter in weight too. As such, my speed isn't hindered in the slightest."s

"How dare you!" Mint attacked with a knife in each hand, looking for a gap in the man's armor. He jabbed his hands forward but the Warrior easily knocked the projectiles away. As fast at Mint attacked, the Warrior countered just as quickly, blocking all of the deadly blows with ease. Like a tornado of death, Mint struck, but the Warrior side-stepped every blow with fluid grace, his form moving at a blurring pace equal to his attacker.

"Damn you!" Mint snarled. Crouching low, he drew the sword he kept at his side. He swung wildly, losing control of his senses, giving in to fear and anger. Ducking the blow, the Warrior chopped his hand to the side, snapping the blade neatly in half.

The boy back-flipped away giving him some room to maneuver. The Warrior shifted his stance slightly, reviling a small crack of exposed skin between his shoulder pads and the armor on his arm. Aiming carefully, Mint threw another knife. The blade imbedded itself into that exposed bit of flesh and a cry of pain escaped from the lips behind the covered mask. Mint grinned wickedly, praising his impeccable aim.

The Shadow Warrior grunted as he pulled the knife out, unleashing a small geyser of blood as it spurted out of the wound. He looked his arm over and quickly noted that the wound wasn't too serious. The blade had gone deep but had missed the bone altogether. Still, being wounded by such unimportant opponents was not something he had expected. It would only serve to hinder him further against Herb.

_I think that its time to use the revised version of prince Toma's final attack_. He grinned inwardly. _How nice! A test for the new move I've gained. What better way to test it than in combat! This will be a crucible by fire._

Howling, Mint snapped his foot up, catching the Warrior in his plated jaw. The blow staggered the powerful man, throwing him back to the doorway of the chamber. He quickly reached up, gripping each side of the doorway, steadying himself against taking a tumble outside of the chamber. His grip shattered the wooden frame and he hunched his stance forward slightly, performing a front roll that ended up with him back on his feet.

Mint watched warily from the other side of the room. His foe was easy enough to hit, but he refused to fall. In truth, Mint had never seen such a foe as this before. He was more than a little worried that this Warrior would be enough to handle even Herb himself. A cold sweat trickled down his neck and he gulped visibly, realizing perhaps a bit too late that he had bitten off more than he could chew.

"My turn." The Warrior snarled, extending his hand. "Hell Fire Blast!"

He threw a column of red fiery energy at Mint, engulfing the flailing guard in flames. The Wolf boy screamed as his clothes and skin began to burn. As he panicked, he stamped at the flames with his hands but they refused to extinguish. In desperation, he rolled on the ground but the flames stubbornly refused to be smothered. Pleading eyes foretelling his agony, he gazed up at Herb, crying out for help as the lord watched on in horrified fascination.

Before Herb could move, the Warrior clenched his fist and the flames went out, leaving only a thin smoke trail in its wake. Mint fell to the floor, unconscious and badly singed. His body smoked painfully as a smell of cooked flesh filled the air.

The Warrior gazed down at his hand and smiled behind his mask. _I turned a move that was an illusion into an actual flame attack. I wasn't entirely sure it was going to work seeing as it was the first time I had used it. Lucky me..._

"Mint…Lime…" Herb's disbelief turned to raw fury and he leveld his feral gaze on the interuder. "How dare you!"

Herb rose to his feet, snarling savagely. His seething gaze at his opponent was like a cat eying a cornered mouse. His eyes shone with divine retribution. Raising his hand, the massive door to his chamber slammed shut, entombing them both where a battle could be waged without distraction.

The Warrior laughed shortly, kicking Mints prostate body out of his way. "Relax Herb, I did not slay them. Such petty foes are beneath my interest."

Herb shook his long hair over his shoulder and took several calming breaths. "You fought well. I have to give you that much. You defeated the Musk Dynasty's finest guards with near flawless precision. Now, let's see how you do against me!" A burst of air blew past as Herb tapped into his reserves of power.

The Shadow Warrior stepped forward, his arm dripping blood onto the marble floor as he moved. "That is what I came here for. I will defeat you."

Herb's face twisted with glee as fire burned through his blood, rushing through his veins and electrifying his senses. It had been far too long since he had felt the sweet rush of combat.

"I guess time will tell for certain! I don't suppose you'll beg for your life after I beat you? That would be so amusing!"

"I don't think so, Herb. I know of your fighting skills. You won't be the victor today."

Herb pointed a finger. "You've started this and I will finish it! An attack on the Emperor of the Musk Dynasty means death! When I defeat you in combat I will kill you!"

"Then consider that to be your fate as well, if I defeat you."

The Warrior leapt forward, extending his fist. Herb smirked and with one smooth motion, effortlessly grabbed the Warrior's wrist and flipped him into one of the room's many pillars, shattering it. He groggily shook his head to clear it as he slowly and painfully stood up amidst the rubble.

Herb laughed, waving his finger in the air. "Ah, ah, ah! Your own momentum was used against you. At least try and give me some small amount of a challenge before I remove your head!"

The Warrior bellowed in anger and charged forward again, throwing a volley of punches. Herb ducked down and swept his legs out from under him. A surprised look crossed his exotic face when the Warrior landed on his hands, and brought his leg up to kick the emperor in the chest. Herb barely managed to block the blow with his hands before it was too late.

"Impressive speed!" He brought his own leg up and kicked the rising Warrior in the ribs, spinning him almost off his feet. The Warrior grunted as he hit the ground on his knee. He growled with frustration and looked up at Herb, realizing at last that this man was unique, and possibly the strongest foe he had yet fought.

Herb laughed again, dropping back into a combat stance. "I'm afraid you have no chance of beating me. Your skills lack in potency."

"You show flawless skill, Dragon Lord. However, no warrior yet has been strong enough to knock me down. Don't think that you will be the first."

He stood up on his feet and dropped into attack position. Herb readied himself for another attack but instead of attacking, the Warrior teleported in a flash.

Herb looked around, never letting his guard down. "Come out, coward! Do not hide from me!"

A pair of gloved hands reached up from behind him, grabbed his neck, and lifted him off the ground. "Who's hiding?"

He threw Herb against the far wall with all his might. The emperor was saved by his own lightning fast reflexes that even the Warrior's strength could not deny. He used his powerful legs to rebound off the wall and slingshot himself back at his opponent, brining his fist around and slamming it into the Warrior's face mask.

Attack completed, Herb landed gracefully on the ground, forcing him to let his guard down momentarily to gather his balance. The Warrior took advantage of this and drove his knee into his unguarded stomach. Herb back-flipped away a second later, clutching his burning sides.

He grimaced in pain for but a moment before he recovered his composure and smiled. "Well done!"

"I'm just getting started."

The Warrior charged again, faking a punch and raised his leg to deliver an axe kick that would have torn Herb's arm from the socket had it connected. Luckily, he dived to the side and the kick caught nothing but thin air. He rose quickly to his feet but took a round-house kick in the face and was sent sprawling to the floor again.

Herb hissed in anger and flipped in close to attack. The two threw punch after punch at each other, both too close to one another to block effectively. They pounded each other in a test to see who could take the most damage before falling. Blow after blow shook the room as both men gathered enough reserve strength to lash out with a final, punishing attack. Summoning a great deal of strength, Herb drove his fist into the Warrior's plated gut while the Warrior responded by slamming his fist straight into Herb's face. The two fazed men back-flipped away from each other, leaving a pool of blood on the ground behind. Exhausted, they sized each other up from opposite sides of the room: the hot rage of the Dragon against the cool calculating Shadow. Both panted from exertion and felt as if they had just ran a thirty mile marathon.

"Perhaps you need to cool down, Herb?" The Shadow Warrior removed a flask of water and threw it. The glass container cracked against Herb's blocking arm and cold water drenched the young man, shrinking him a foot, giving him curves, and a higher pitched voice.

Herb blinked in confusion, shaking moisture from her hair. _How did he know about my curse?_ "What was the point of that, Intruder? I may be smaller and weaker in this form, but I'm also much faster!"

She demonstrated this by jumping into the air with unparallel grace, delivering a lightning kick to his unprotected neck. The Warrior groaned in pain. Raising his arm almost completely by instinct, he caught her in the side with his elbow, shattering a rib with a glancing shot. Grunting in pain, she landed haphazardly, as he turned around to face her. The two backed away from each other again, nursing their injuries. Herb suddenly realized that further combat in her female form would bring about her eventual destruction due to a sheer lack of power. She just couldn't hit as hard as she needed to, which was the exact ingredient needed to beat this foe.

The Warrior raised his hand, palm outward. "Blood Lance!"

The same beam of power that had toppled Kirin shot out from his hand, aiming for Herb's midsection. Herb rolled to the side, cursing as her broken rib screamed out in agony. The energy beam cut through Herb's chamber wall, and shot out far into the evening sky. No sooner had she come to her feet again than a second, stronger version of the attack rushed at her, far too quickly for her to dodge. Eyes pulsing, she raised her hand and snarled, swatting the beam away from herself with flawless precision.

The Warrior took a step backwards. "That's impossible! That attack should have at least torn your arm out of its socket for attempting it!?"

"You seem to be my equal in unarmed combat Intruder," She said through clenched teeth. "But I can see your mastery of energy attacks leaves much to be desired. Let's see how you like this!- Howling, her body began to glow a reddish hue and with clenched fists pointed skyward, she summoned her vast reserve of power. -Take this! It's a new attack I created not long ago! Matrix Orb!"

Two blue, round balls formed in her hands and she hurled them at the Warrior with a piercing scream. He dodged the first ball but the second one caught him in the chest, searing his armor and burning the flesh underneath. The orb exploded a second later, throwing him into the far wall.

Herb smiled an evil grin. "Didn't like that much, did you?"

"Just you wait… I'm going to kill you! Hell Fire Blast!"

Fire flew from the Warrior's hand as if he were a phoenix, a being of incredible heat and flame. Like a flamethrower, the cloud of heat and fire closed in on Herb but she neither shrank back nor attempted to shield herself.

"I've already seen that move!" The Emperor raised her hand, deflecting the heat with a small blue energy shield. The defense tasked her considerably all the same, especially in her weakened state.

"Don't underestimate me!" The warrior growled in a mocking tone. He had proven himself to be a dangerous opponent indeed. The sweat that appeared on Herb's brow was all the proof he needed to confirm that she was indeed growing nervous. Strong though she was, he knew now that the fight would be his. She was wounded and almost out of tricks. While this fight had been the most entertaining yet, it was rapidly approaching its climax.

Herb balled her hand into a fist and slowly stepped forward, throwing off her long robes with a snap of her wrist. She too sensed the oncoming finality of their duel. -My final attack is the most feared attack in all of China. In thanks for such a great fight, I'll let you view it first hand.- Her body took on a pulsing green tone and her eyes shone neon green and as her form tensed up, rising off of the ground by several feet. She howled with strength as waves of power the color of her eyes crashed out from her body, shattering the ground beneath her.

The Warrior was more than a little relieved that the battle was coming to a close. He hadn't counted on the battle taking this long and he knew that Herb's soldiers would be arriving at any minute. He wanted to finish things as quickly as possible.

"Yes! Show me the ultimate power of the Musk Dynasty!"

"You treat this as though it's some sort of game! This final round will decide who lives and who dies!" Green energy flowed into her hands as she raised them high in the air. "Musk Dynasty Final Attack: Dragon's Rage!"

A huge "V" shaped wave of power rushed forward toward her waiting opponent. The "V" seemed to grow as it hurled forwards, opening like the great maw of a serpent itself.

The Warrior also threw his ki attack, which just so happened to be Kirin's chopstick technique, thus far his favorite stolen attack. Multiple yellow beams of energy flew from his hand right into Herb's oncoming attack. The two blasts clashed together, creating sparks and explosions as the two beams tried to overcome the other. Wave after wave of green and yellow energy overlapped each other, creating shockwaves that cracked the chamber walls and rocked the floor. Gradually, both beams started to dim as the fighters began to use up their remaining supply of energy. Strong as they both were, even they had their limits

Herb felt the edges of her vision start to darken and what little bit of power she still had evaporated, canceling out her beam. Her body felt drained and tired, her soul tapped of power and will to fight. Rolling to the side to avoid the remainder of his attack as it cut through her throne, she moved sluggishly, like an elderly woman, falling back a few steps to give her some breathing space. This appalled her to no end. If she had remained a male, defeating this upstart would have been all but assured. But as it was, as she was in this state, her chances were dim indeed.

She staggered backwards again, gasping for breath. -You are persistent!-

The Warrior stopped the convection of power as well, sucking great heaps of air in through his mask as he too felt an overwhelming sense of exhaustion. Suddenly, and with considerable effort, he pushed off with his back foot, rushed forward, and slammed his fist into Herb's jaw. The move threw Herb into the wall at an almost sonic speed. Screaming, he beat on the shocked girl with all his might, bruising her body and knocking the breath from her lungs with repeated attacks. She collapsed into a heap on the ground at his feet, wheezing and broken.

"How...did... you have any...power...left...?" She tried to rise to her knees but the strength wasn't with her. She crumbled face first to the floor, her long tresses falling like a shroud as the floor accepted her with a resounding _crack_.

He looked at the fallen Emperor and laughed, straining to recover his breath.

-That was an incredible fight, Lord Herb. For a while I thought that I might very well have been defeated. I guess this turn of events proves who the stronger man was. You are one of the strongest fighters I have ever fought, second only perhaps to Ranma. I can't wait to take him on again at last.

Herb opened one eye. "Ranma….?" A spasm of pain wracked her body and she fainted dead away.

Taking off the glove on his right hand, he placed it on Herb's forehead, lifting the stricken girl into the air. "Your two special attacks will serve as great additions to my already impressive arsenal of attacks. For that, you have my thanks."

Just as he did with Toma and Kirin, he extracted the memory he needed, violating the emperor's mind. Putting his leather and metal glove back on, he allowed his freed target to crash back into the floor. Herb unconscious state spared him the pain and agony of his mind probe, which left the Warrior a trifle disappointed.

He stared down at his vanquished opponent for an endless moment. "Now I have to keep my promise and finish you off! I can't very well let you live. You are too strong and your desire for revenge would most likely lead you to track me down and hinder my further plans."

He prepared to bring his fist down on the defenseless boy's neck, smiled slightly underneath his mask. Oh, he was going to enjoy this. Down came his fist, down towards Herb's vulnerable neck, eager to hear the sharp crack that would come as the felled girl's windpipe cracked.

Suddenly, loud banging sounds erupted from the other side of the door followed by the sounds of men racing up the stairs. The door to the chamber shook once and then began to splinter under the force of what sounded like a battering ram.

He straightened his body and turned away. _Damn! His men have come checking on him! Well, it seems I'll have to wait and finish you off some other time. The Gods have spared you this time. Live with the shame of your second terrible defeat!_

Rising to his feet he flexed his hand and tendrils of smoke consumed him, masking his form. Elation filled him as he savored his latest victory but even still, there was still so much left to do. He had other people to attend to and it was best not to keep them waiting. He snapped his fingers, and with the coming of a spark of darkness, he teleported safely away.

Awakening to the sound of wood breaking and men shouting, Herb groaned and shook her head, raising her head to look around. Her body trembled in protest and she vomited blood, moaning in pain. Somehow, she managed to rise up into a sitting position. Her wondered why her foe had not finished her off. If the situation had bee reversed, she would surely have killed him.

Her soldiers were about break into the room and help her. Eye's widening in realization she looked down at her chest and panicked. _I cannot be seen like this! I must find hot water!_

Scanning the room with frenzied eyes, she saw the flask that the Warrior had poured on her earlier in their fight. If there was just a bit more water left within it…

With her hands she dragged herself over to the flask as agony raced through her. Clenching her teeth, she reached for the container and picked it up, righting it before what little water was left could escape. Using some small scrap of energy still residing within her, she heated the water and, raising her head, poured the miniscule amount of liquid down across her brow.

A sharper wave of pain crushed down on her as the curse was deactivated. Falling to his side facing the door, Herb saw the door burst open at last and then he closed his eyes and saw nothing at all.

* * *

Herb's soldiers crashed through the door and rushed to their fallen lord and his bodyguards. The palace's many doctors were brought in and the three were given immediate treatment. After several long moments of waiting in trepidation, the palace guards and the royal advisors breathed a sigh of relief and thanked the Gods when they found that their master would survive his horrific defeat. Under the supervision of General Malleic, Herb and his guards were moved to a safer place within the capitol to be cared for under the protection of armed soldiers and the best doctors in the land.

The Great War was postponed, for the time being. Broken and defeat though Herb was, power continued to radiate within his blood. His resolve was as strong as his body so a full recovery was only a matter of time.

Lying on a hospital bed several days later, he looked down at his bandaged clad body and reached with a shaking hand for the phone that was almost out of reach on the nightstand beside his hospital bed. Picking up the receiver he took a deep breath before dialing, summoning an authoritarian tone.

"It's me. I need an agent dispatched to Japan. Prep one while you come to me for your orders. Yes, I want you here within the hour. Come alone. Can you handle that, Information Minister? Good. I would hate to think even for a second that I'd put an incompetent person in charge of the department."

Placing the phone back on the receiver Herb clicked a fingernail against his teeth, thinking. He didn't know how this all would come to involve Ranma, but he would find out one way or the other. When his body was healed, he would take his revenge, and if he had to use Ranma as bait, then so be it.


	9. Ranma’s relationship crisis! Two steps f

Chapter eight: Ranma's relationship crisis! Two steps forward, one step back!

Ranma whistled happily to himself as he swept the leaves and dirt away from the walkway that lead from the house to the main gate. Soun watched on, nodding his head happily at the boy's progress. As far as the eldest Tendo could tell, things were finally going as planned within his household. Ever since their date several weeks prior, neither Ranma nor Akane had said so much as a nasty word to one another. Their violent fights had finally faded into nothing larger than minor arguments now that a true sense of true friendship had been introduced between them. Things were going exactly as they were supposed to, and it was about damn time!

Soun contemplated this fortunate turn of events and pinched himself to make sure he wasn't dreaming He fought back his usual flood of tears that came out during such emotional moments. The slight bit of pain he felt as he pinched his skin showed him it wasn't a dream. He looked to the clear blue sky with shining eyes. _I did it, darling! After all these years, our most headstrong daughter has finally come of age!_

Still, it was a bit early to be celebrating. Both of them still continued to hide the brunt of their true feelings, especially around their parents. Nature's course was _taking_ its course, just a bit slower than usual.

Ranma smiled and lifted his face up to look at the warm sun as it rose lazily into the mid-afternoon sky. He knew his new relationship with Akane was going to cause some major problem in the future and he'd probably have to deal with them sooner rather than later, but that didn't really bother him. They'd all be overcome with determination just like every other challenge he'd faced already. If he could remove the threat of Ryoga, getting rid of his other pests, like Mousse and Kuno, would be a piece of cake in comparison.

Soun lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, leaning back against the side of the house. "Ranma, have you thought about marriage yet?"

Ranma spun to face him, as a look of bewilderment etched itself onto his face. "M-marriage?! I'm too young to think about that! Besides, I've still got a lot of training to do! I'm not ready to… I'm just not ready for that yet Mr. Tendo!"

Soun walked up to Ranma and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "I know the idea seems strange to think about now… but believe me, there was a time when I was just like you."

"Oh?" Ranma had a tough time believing that Soun had ever been like himself. Their personalities seemed to be as different as night as day.

Soun was silent for a moment before he laughed merrily, breaking the stillness between them. "When I was about your age, I was just as dedicated to the martial arts as you are now. Granted, I never went through the kind of adventures you did, and I certainly didn't possess the skills you have, but it was still a time in my life that required absolute devotion to the art and intense training. But one day, someone walked into my life that ended up changing it forever.""

"And who was that, Mr. Tendo?" Ranma asked.

Soun smiled softly. "The girl who would become my future wife. She transferred to Furinkan one beautiful spring day, a day just like this one in fact. I fell in love with her gentle kindness and beautiful smile. I used the same devotion I had during my martial arts training towards her. My infatuation with her eventually turned to love. After a time, she began to return those feelings and I became the happiest of men. I courted her throughout high school and we were eventually married."

He gazed longingly at the white clouds above, dwelling on thoughts of his deceased beloved. "Our marriage didn't stifle my love for the Art in the slightest. I continued to train on a regular basis… but I also learned a hard lesson. I found out that life couldn't just be all about me and my wants anymore, not with a family to care for."

His gaze turned serious. "Ranma, someday you too will have a family. You will have to watch what you say and control your actions to a much greater extent than you do now. It will make things run much more smoothly if you pay a bit more attention to her feelings, and vice versa. You must be ready for it! Don't make some of the same mistakes Genma did and abandon your wife, no matter what the reason."

"Hold on a sec, Mr. Tendo!" Ranma swung his arms out in front of him. "One date with Akane doesn't set anything in stone! I'm not ready to even to think about marriage yet! And what gave you the idea that we had become so familiar anyways?!"

Soun waved his hand. "I don't mean that you must modify your current habits completely. I'm not rushing you into marriage either, not anymore. Only you and Akane will know when that time should come. I'm only trying to prepare you for the future. Remember, you should never change yourself entirely for anyone, not even Akane. A good partner will love you for who you are and accept your faults as part of the package deal. What I'm driving at is, you absolutely do not know how lucky you are!"

Ranma blinked… then blinked again. "Lucky?"

Soun nodded. "Yes. While I love my three little girls equally, Akane possesses one quality neither Kasumi nor Nabiki have."

Ranma grinned and held up his finger. "Oh, I know! It's a passion for brute strength and a tomboyish nature?"

Soun glared. "No. She looks so very much like my dear departed wife. It's this part of her that's making her soul shine so much brighter. You've seen how tender and caring she is towards your well being. My wife behaved much the same way towards me. She loves you deeply, Ranma. The only reason you haven't realized it before now is because you kept driving her off with your childish comments and immature attitude."

Ranma's features darkened. "Wait a sec, she does the same thing!"

Soun sighed and conceded a nod. "Yes, you're right. She's much like you in a sense. But it's not entirely her fault, nor is it entirely yours. Both of you were raised without the help of a mother. You see Ranma, by the time my wife had passed on she had already raised Kasumi and Nabiki into little girls. They were old enough to remember her teaching and life lessons. Akane, on the other hand, can't even recall whole memories of her mother. She was little more than a baby girl when she died."

"I've tried to be a good father," he said, sighing. "To my credit, I think I was, but I've come to find that only a woman can truly raise a daughter into womanhood."

Ranma cast his eye's downward. "I uh... never thought about it like that..."

Soun pointed a finger at Ranma. "Exactly! You don't think! Keep Akane's feelings in your heart and mind and maybe you won't say such nasty things to each other in the future. I've already had a similar conversation with her. Its time you both continued on this current good trend and grow up a little bit more. Time is so very precious and the two of you have already wasted enough of it. You're not children anymore."

"Yes sir." Ranma felt himself growing increasing uncomfortable. The normally whiny and skittish Soun Tendo had transformed into a wall of discipline and truth right before his very eyes. He forced himself to meet Soun's rigid gaze, swallowing the lump that had formed in his throat.

"Good." Soun turned and started to walk back towards the house. As Ranma raised his arm to continue sweeping, Soun stopped walking, but didn't turn around. Ranma cocked his head to look at the older man again, leaning on the broom.

"Ranma, there is just one more thing I want you to know."

Ranma nearly trembled. "Uh, yeah?"

"I'm so very proud of you son! Despite all your faults, you are turning into a brave warrior." With that said, Soun walked into the house without further comment.

A brisk wind picked up and rustled Ranma's pants. Then a silence evolved and nothing stirred for an endless moment. "T-thank you..."

"Ranma?"

The boy nearly jumped out of his skin as Akane put her hand on his shoulder. He spun around and jumped back a step, nearly falling into a defensive combat stance. "Akane, don't scare me like that!"

Akane retracted her hand as if she had just been burned. "I'm sorry. It's just... I saw dad talking to you and I wanted to find out what was going on. He looked really serious and that isn't like him at all."

Ranma leaned on the broom and smiled non-convincingly. "Oh, that? It was nuthin, just a man-to-man talk, ya' know?"

Akane beamed and held up a plate. "Oh. Well, anyways, I saw you working hard out here so I baked you some cookies!"

"C-c-cookies!?" Ranma's heart froze in his chest and his stomach kissed itself goodbye. He clearly remembered what had happened the last time he had tried some of her "homemade" cookies during that bake off competition against Kodachi and he wasn't about to repeat that incident!

Akane nodded happily. "Yeah, don't they look yummy?"

_To a demon of hell maybe! That explains the sudden explosion that rocked the kitchen a little while ago. I shoulda' known it was Akane trying to cook again!_ He eyed the plate as if it were going to come alive and attack him at any moment. The cookies seemed to have been cut from pieces of concrete and painted brown as an after effect. He started to sweat and took a nervous step backwards. Akane just never learned. True, she had made some small advancement in the art of cooking, but it still sucked! He didn't like having to suffer through all her experiments just because they were engaged.

"Uhhh... gee, Akane, thanks, but... I'm not really hungry." Ranma waved his hands in front of himself and took a cautious step backwards. Inside, his mind was racing. How was he going to get out of this situation unscathed? He had sampled her cooking many times in the past to keep her happy and his stomach had suffered in agony as a result. He was still in too good a mood to go through that today.

Akane blinked. "But I made them just for you!"

"I appreciate it, but I'm just not hungry." _I'd rather just appreciate living!_

Sparks of anger flickered in her eyes rich, shining eyes. "I spent the last few hours baking these! The least you could do is humor me and taste one. Please? You might be surprised!"

_Yeah, surprised to live through the experience! _Ranma shuttered and jumped backwards again.

"Take one," she roared, throwing a cookie at his mouth with a ball park pitcher's precision.

"No!" Ranma batted it away with his hand and instantly yelped in pain as the food hit his palm. It felt like he had just hit solid diamond! He rubbed his aching palm and paled considerably, eyeing the "cookies" as if they were deadly opponents to his continual existence.

"I know you think my cooking is bad, I'm not stupid! You're going to marry me one day, and that means you'll have to trust me! Stop being such a jerk!" Tears threatened to spill from Akane's eyes at any second.

Ranma's temper flared and he found his composure slipping away like sand and tumble into the abyss of his anger. "Listen, I've told you very nicely several times that I didn't want one! And just who are you to tell me what I'm going to do with my life? Marrying you is the _last _thing I'd ever want to do! Got that!? I'm not that desperate! I-" His eyes widened in realization and he clamped his hand over his mouth as his brain caught on to what he was saying but it was far too late, the damage to her heart had already been caused.

"I see..." Her hard slap knocked him sideways.

He recovered his balance a second later and looked at her in shock, clutching his burning cheek. He had just screwed himself over big time, and that hurt far more than any physical injury. "Akane, wait I… I didn't mean-"

"I sharedmy first true kiss with you because I believed in you! I thought that after spending so many carefree weeks with you since then things would finally change. I guess I was wrong; you're nothing but a heartless jerk! Just leave me alone! Go off and live with Shampoo if I'm so horrible to be with! At least she can cook, right!?" As tears flooded down the sides of her cheeks, she ran into the house, sobbing heavily.

Ranma looked down at his hands in shock as his mind started spin. (What have I done? How did this happen? How could something so trivial explode so fast?! I've said some nasty things before but...) He dropped the broom onto the stone walkway. Waves of guilt consumed him like a furious fire. In the blink of an eye he had helped to destroy the foundation of trust they two had been building. A few wrong words had caused his control of the situation to slide out of control completely.

He bowed his head in shame. "You're right, Akane. I am a jerk. I've had it all backwards; I don't deserve to be with you… not the other way around. I'm so sorry..." Balling his hand into a tight fist, he jumped over the house wall and ran down the street. His flight was useless, and he knew it. No matter how fast he ran, his knew his guilt would never tire and anguish would overtake him even if he ran halfway across the city.

_No more than five minutes after Mr. Tendo's talk, I go and mess things up! How in the world could I be so damn stupid?!_

He jumped onto a side street, clutching his head, wishing to the powers that be for the chance to rewind the last few minutes and redo them.

Watching from the side of the house as his son took off, Genma sighed and shook his head. "He's ruining all he's worked for. Children can be so foolish, eh, Tendo?"

Soun sighed sadly. "Youth isn't necessarily a virtue, it seems. I knew he wouldn't heed my advice as much as I wanted to believe otherwise. Oh well, it seems there is only one thing left to do."

Genma nodded and pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose. "Yes, we must bring Ranma back and fix this situation!"

Soun slapped him on the back. "Good of you to volunteer, Saotome!"

"What!? Hey, why do I have to do it?!"

Soun's eyes narrowed. "Hmmm, I don't know Saotome. Perhaps the answer lies in the fact that it's because he's your son!?"

Genma folded his arms and almost seemed to pout. "You always say that! I fixed this problem the last time it happened!"

"Get moving! I'll handle Akane; you go after your son."

"Alright, alright! Arggg, leg cramp! Uh, let me just lay here for a second until I recover my strength."

"I'll help you catch up with him!" Soun punted Genma into midair.

* * *

"I'm such a fool!" Ranma slammed his fist into the river canal wall again and again, cracking its sturdy concrete frame. The pain that shot up his arm didn't even remotely compare to the grief that was eating him alive inside. The venomous words he had used to hurt Akane so badly played over and over in his mind, torturing him to no end.

"I am such an idiot!" He slammed his hand into the wall again with even greater force. When he withdrew it, blood dribbled from his bruised knuckles. He clutched his burning hand and howled at the sky. "Arghhh! Damn it! Why do I always mess things up!?"

"It's because you're scared boy."

Ranma bristled and turned around to see Genme walking up behind him. "Pop, it aint the time for this! Leave me alone!"

Genma shook his head. "Actually, I don't think there could possibly be a better time. You've come so far, Ranma. Why did you choke out?"

"Leave me alone!" Ranma ran up the slanted wall and disappeared into the streets once again.

Genma watched in shock. "Hey, get back here! I was just warming up for one of my great father-son talks! Ahh crap!" He took off after his son as fast as his short stocky legs would allow.

* * *

Like a hurricane of destruction, the Shadow Warrior moved throughout Asia, challenging and crushing targets of interest with the same cold determination he'd shown against the leaders of Nekonron, Togenkyo, and the Musk Dynasty. Leaving broken warriors in his wake, his mental list of targets shrunk until there were but two names left for him to destroy, two names that burned in his mind more than any other.

Taking a day off before he left to finish things once and for all in Japan, he teleported back to his home village after a long trek across the Sea of Japan. He touched down in the middle of one of the farmlands at the outskirts of the village, frightening several of the farmers who had been attending to the fields. One elderly woman fell completely over with a surprised and frightened rasp, dropping the hoe she'd just been wielding on some unruly soil.

The imposing warrior approached her and gently helped her up, dusting her off and inspecting her for injuries. He could feel the pulse of a sharp pain in her lower back as knot of tense muscles screamed in protest. Pressing his gauntlet softly against back, he sent a small wave of power surging through her body. Gasping softly, she straightened her back, sighing as the pain subsided.

Stepping back, he bowed low. "My apologies for startling you Ma'am."

The old woman's mouth broke into a crooked smile and she gently patted him on the shoulder. "Still know how to make an entrance, don't you?"

"It was far more dramatic than I intended for it to be. While I have mastered the art of teleportation, I'm not always able to move myself to the exact spot I wish to go. It was because of my inexperience that you fell over like that. Please give me a few moments to attend to a matter in town and I will come complete the rest of your work in the field today."

The woman laughed softly. "You are so polite and thoughtful. Be sure to say hello to your mother. I'm sure she worries about you when you go off on this training journey time after time."

"Yes Ma'am."

He turned and walked towards the town. _Training Journey. As if it was as innocent as all that._

There was no way he could tell them what he really was really doing when he left each time. It was only in recent years that his family's reputation had gone from that of outcasts to that of respected village members and he wasn't about to mess that up. Only his master at the temple knew the truth, but he was bound by a warrior's code of secrecy.

Passing people on the way, they bowed to him in reverence, some falling all the way to the ground, pressing their foreheads to the soil. They almost treated him like a living god; such was the level of their respect for his achievements. More of this came when he entered the small town. More townspeople paused in their busy lives to greet him or welcome him home and he felt a small thrill, waving and calling out greetings. He decided to steer clear of his home for the moment since his first place of business was the temple.

Reaching the small Buddhist temple in the western part of the village, he opened the wooden door and stepped inside, sliding his helmet up and off of his head as he approached a small elderly man who was currently meditating on the floor in front of a modest sized statue of Buddha. Without turning around, the man motioned for his student to stop and kneel.

"Welcome back, my former student. You removed your mask in respect. I see you still remember your manners."

"Yes, Master Q'lei. I remember far more than just your lessons in respect and manners. The combative skills you taught me have served me well these past weeks. I have vanquished every opponent quite decisively."

The master slowly rose and bowed before the statue before he turned around to face his former apprentice with a sigh. "Those techniques I taught you and that armor I taught you fashion, all of it was done purely for defensive reasons in mind. I never intended to help you satisfy some age old desire for revenge."

The Warrior bowed his head low. -I know, sir. But my path is my own and I did defeat you fairly for the right to walk it.-

The old man nodded. "Yes. Yes, you won and earned the right to leave, tragically enough. I can only assume that you've returned home to pray and meditate because you plan on finishing this little quest of yours tomorrow?"

The Warrior met his master's look without blinking. "Yes. It will end tomorrow."

"Violence only creates more violence," the old master sighed sadly. "I don't suppose I can try and talk you out of this notion of revenge? It's like a fine poison, and if you aren't careful, it will consume your heart."

"My master, great is your wisdom." He pressed himself to the ground in a low bow. -I know that you are right. You have not been wrong yet. However, this is my path and I have to walk its course until the end."

Master Q'lei sank back down into a sitting position in front of his student and closed his eyes, nodding slowly. "To what end, I wonder? Will it be your end or the end of your enemy?"

The student also moved into a prayer posture. "Only time will tell, sir."

"Very well, my committed student. Let us pray together. With luck, the gods will help your soul to abolish this rage and help you to find inner peace."

The master and the apprentice prayed together. The Warrior prayed only for victory, since it was the only beacon of life left striving for. The dark shadows in his heart whispered of coming battle and violence and even as he prayed, reciting sacred sutras, his lips curled upwards to form a most twisted smile.

* * *

To escape his father, Ranma moved to the courtyard outside of Furinkan to contemplate his screw up. His hand ached like hell, but he didn't care. In his depressed state, the pain somewhat atoned for what he had done. His mind reeled with possibilities. With a million ways to handle a solution he wondered why he always chose the worst of them.

Yes, they had fought before. Yes, Akane had called off their engagement when he had knowingly, and unknowingly, hurt her in the past. He hated hurting her more than anything. He was drawn to Akane. She was such a necessary part of his life that it shocked even him how he acted sometimes. The urge to just reach up and hold her in his arms over the last few weeks was almost more than he could bare. He figured amidst his guilt that part of his attraction to her stemmed from their similar personalities. At that same time, that explained why they fought so much. It was an interesting relationship they had, and more violent than either wanted it to be.

He almost smiled. They were indeed alike. The bridge between them had been built through a common love of the martial arts. Unfortunately, that bridge had fallen and been rebuilt almost every day over the last several years. If he could just watch his comments and if she could just watch her temper, a wonderful middle ground could be firmly established. He honestly believed that.

"But there might not be a next time to right these wrongs..." Ranma sighed. "She has no reason to forgive me this time. Mr. Tendo gave me some excellent advice and I just blew it! I failed. I always fail when it comes to my relationships with others. I'll always fail..."

He leaned up against a tree and gazed depressingly out at the streets beyond. A wry smile touched his lips. "I hate feeling sorry for myself too."

"I can see that you still have a lot of growing up to do. Ranma m' boy." Genma jumped with surprising accuracy over the school wall and walked up to his son. "Oh, wipe that depressed look off your face, it doesn't suit you. Ranma, you can't just get depressed and mope about! You're a man of action!"

Ranma turned his head to the side. "Mr. Tendo brought up some very good points, Pop. I haven't exactly had the chance to grow up like a normal guy. I never really knew mom until she found out about my curse a few months back. I don't know how to act around people a lot of the time." He turned to walk away, preparing to jump back over the wall.

Genma grabbed his son by his shoulder with surprising strength. "Boy, wait! Listen to me; I admit I wasn't a good father at times."

Ranma's eyes narrowed. "At times, huh?"

Genma continued undeterred. "I shouldn't have separated you from Nodoka at such a young age, I know that now. However, that's no excuse for you to keep acting like a victim. It doesn't work in society, and that's a truth I myself had to realize as well. I know this much: if you continue on like this, life and its opportunities will simply pass you by. Then you _will _lose your chance with Akane."

Ranma looked crestfallen but he tried to hide it. "Feh, as if I care."

Genma sighed. "You worry far too much about your masculinity. You've grown into a man Ranma, so don't worry. We all know you love Akane so stop holding back the feelings you have for her! She's very sensitive about certain things and you have to be gentler. Always remember, an inch of kindness will stretch a mile!"

Ranma shook his head. "It aint as easy as all that."

Genma took his hand off Ranma's shoulder. "It's absolutely as easy as that! As quick as she is to get angry at you, she forgives you just the same. Go salvage your last few weeks' worth of progress."

Ranma smiled gently and shook his head. "And here I thought nothing you did could surprise me, Pop. I really messed up this time huh?"

"Damn straight you did! Now, go back home and cheer her up! Give her this when you apologize." Genma placed a red rose in his hand then stepped back, folding his arms.

Ranma eyed the flower curiously. "Which store did you steal this from?"

"When I ran past the florist place around the corner… wait, never mind that! You have a job to do boy!"

The boy smiled and shook his head. "Thanks pop, I won't let ya' down." He took off running, jumping from rooftop to rooftop. In his hand he clutched the tool that would aid him in his battle for redemption. He did love Akane, perhaps he always had. Now he had to show her. All he cared about was making things up to her, even if it cost him his pride.

Genma smiled slightly as Ranma disappeared from sight. "You do make me proud, Ranma. Go and follow your heart!"

At that moment his stomach chose to make him aware that it was hungry. Hopping back over the fence, Genma started off towards Ukyo's restaurant, rubbing his stomach. "Wonder if I can get a free meal…"

* * *

Soun flagged Ranma down as he came skidding into the house. "Son, here! Quickly!"

"What is it?" Ranma asked. He wanted to get past as quickly as possible. He had other business to attend to.

"Shhhh, Akane's asleep. Listen to me, I buried all of her… er, 'cookies' in the backyard." He pointed out to a small spot in the corner of the yard. The grass and bushes growing around the burial spot had turned a sickly shade of brown and any animals that had been dwelling nearby had run away in fear. As they watched, a small tree de-rooted itself and then fell over on its side, twitching in silent pain. Both Ranma and Soun stared for a moment in silent amazement.

Soun pushed a pen and a piece of paper into his hands. "Never mind that! Quickly, write a note apologizing for what you did and convince her that you actually ate her food!"

Ranma quickly scratched out a message as ordered and folded the piece of paper neatly in half. "I hope she swallows it."

Soun placed the plate and piece of paper on the kitchen table directly underneath the empty cookie pan. "Don't worry; she'll believe it because she wants to believe it."

"Yeah..."

Soun watched him walk from the room. "Son, where are you going?"

Ranma held the rose up for him to see. "I still have one last thing to do."

He walked up the stairs with determination under Soun and Nabiki's watchful gaze. He knocked once on Akane's door but there was no response. He looked down at Soun who nodded him onward encouragingly. Gulping, he slowly opened the door and stepped inside. One there, he saw Akane sleeping on her side, facing the far wall. Stepping up to her quietly, he saw dampness on her pillow indicating she had cried herself to sleep. This realization only made him feel worse. Sighing heavily, he sat down on the edge of the bed with her and gently touched her shoulder.

"Akane?"

She did not stir. Growing bolder, Ranma ran his hand through her short blue hair and gazed loving down at her peaceful face. For an endless moment, time itself stood still. He knew that only with her in a deep sleep could he truly be himself without fear or shyness. Maybe someday he could provide more but for the moment, it was his only means in which to communicate.

"I know your asleep, Akane. I won't be long, but I have to say a few things and make my peace at last. I'm not very good with emotional stuff; you and I both know that all too well. I'm gonna' try real hard to fix that. Listen, I know I've been such a fool lately. I know you care about me… but, to be honest, I don't really think I deserve it."

He took a deep breath. "I care about you a lot too. Sometimes I feel like I'm going to burst but I've always kept quiet and hid it away in the back of my mind. Sometimes I tried to tell you, but the words never came out right.

"I've said some very nasty stuff to you in the past that was undeserved. I want you to know I didn't mean any of it. I was just being childish.…"

He gazed at her beautiful face, peaceful in sleep. "You're so beautiful. I realize I've never told you that in a serious way before. I want you to do me a favor, k? Could you possibly... ya' know, give me another chance to do things right? We gotta' cut breaks for one another if we're going to get married one day and all… Oh, I know we'll still fight from time to time and problems will still roll our way, but as long as I can be with you, nothing will stop us."

He stared at the tear stains on her sheets. "I hate making you cry, Akane. Let's make a deal! Starting today, the pervert and the tomboy are gone! It's just you and me."

Blushing heavily, he ran out of words to say. He felt like an idiot, she couldn't even hear him and yet he was compelled to spill his soul before her. He kept going though because for some reason it brought him a measure of peace after the chaotic afternoon.

"I uh, guess I'll go and let you keep sleeping. I just wanted to say what's been building up in me, ya know?" He silently placed the rose in her hand and stood up.

Akane murmured something unintelligible in her sleep and rolled onto her back. Ranma looked down at her soft, inviting lips and decided to risk it all. Slowly, he brought his lips to hers for a brief, cautious peck on her lips. The tender moment did not wake the slumbering girl and Ranma breathed a sigh of relief. He paused at her doorway and thought for a moment. Something still seemed to be missing; he was forgetting to say something.

Suddenly, he knew. He had forgotten to say the words he had wanted to tell her. "What I've been trying to get at is... I'm sorry, Akane. Sleep well and have wonderful dreams." He closed the door quietly, smiling softly in her direction. He hadn't been able to tell her he loved her. It wasn't time to say those words to her; he had already taken a great step, no need to overdo it. A great weight lifted from his heart like magic and he called out to Kasumi and asked her to bandage up his hand.

Smiling slightly, Akane opened her eyes a crack after her door shut and touched her lips, blushing slightly. "Its okay, Ranma, I forgive you. You're a total jerk at times, but you're _my _jerk!" Reaching for her covers, she snuggled up against her pillow, sighing happily.

* * *

Just outside of the Shinjuku train station, traveling pedestrians took several cautious steps backwards as the ground began to rumble and crack. Concrete splintered and tore as entire sections of people were thrown back by an invisible energy field. A large black cloud followed this, signaling the arrival of the Shadow Warrior as he teleported back to Japan after a very long absence. He materialized in an instant, touching his plated boots on the ground of the land he had come to hate. Realizing where he was and how quickly his goal was to completion, he laughed manically, throwing raw energy away from himself with hellish glee. The onlookers fled from him in all directions, screaming with terror.

He raised his hand and summoned a fistful of energy, and he cupped it his hand, raising it skyward. "The final part of my journey is at hand! This energy will kill you Ranma Saotome. Mark my words, tomorrow will be the day you die!"


	10. Desperate Engagement! Ranma vs the Shad

Chapter Eight: Desperate Engagement! Ranma vs. the Shadow Warrior!

The next morning was Saturday. Ranma awoke earlier than usual to spar with Genma in the backyard. As fists clashed and blows were parried, Kasumi stood over the kitchen oven, preparing yet another wonderful breakfast feast. Sampling a bite of the food she was preparing, she nodded in satisfaction at its rich taste. The family would certainly be happy today and from the intensity of the sparing match going on outside, Ranma was certain to be more starved than usual.

"Sis, will breakfast be ready soon? I'm absolutely starved," Nabiki called as she and Akane walked into the dining room. She stuck her toothbrush in her mouth and watched Ranma fight from the kitchen table.

"Be patient," Kasumi's gentle response came back.

"Yes, yes, Nabiki, remember that patience is the virtue all good people should be made of," Soun added before he returned to reading his morning paper, ignoring the roll of his middle daughter's eyes.

"Pop, you are getting' slow!" Ranma's fist cut through the air on its way towards Genma's face.

Genma blocked the blow with his forearm, grunting as his son's knuckles struck him. "Not quite, boy! I'm just holding back for you're sake. We can't have the only Saotome heir get hurt in a puny training exercise now can we?"

"Ha!" Ranma sneered. "You always say that, Pop! If you're going to lie at least attempt to think of something original!" His foot shot out and tripped Genma into the Koi pond, spilling water onto the soft grass. Growling, Genma/panda rose from the pool and, as an after-thought, pushed his son in the cold water before he returned to the house, happily chewing on a piece of bamboo.

Watching the proceedings, Nabiki exploded with laughter. Not only were the Saotome's humorous, they also contributed generously to her growing cash fund. Smiling, she tucked several pictures of female Ranma in the nude inside her pocket. The money she'd get from Kuno for the perverted photos would help fund her new fall wardrobe. She had to remain at the head of the current fads after all. It wouldn't do for the top business woman at Furinkan to wear the same clothes she had the year before.

Sputtering, Ranma crawled out of the pool with a look of rage implanted on her cute little face. "Why you!"

She slapped her hand down into the water. "Stupid old man! I gotta' go take another hot bath thanks to you!"

* * *

Around eight fifteen Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki skirted off to school. As they ran, Akane noticed that her fiancé had an incredibly sour look on his face and his hand fell to rest on his stomach. Since he had to take a bath again, he had missed breakfast. Ranma wasn't a person people wanted to deal with especially not when he had an empty stomach.

"Ranma! Here, catch!" Akane tossed him his paper bag lunch. "You left this behind when you ran out of the house. I saw it and grabbed it for you."

"Thanks, Akane! You know, you're a real lifesaver. I don't think I could have waited until lunch." He pulled out a sandwich and devoured it in a show that would have put the orphan Karumi herself to shame. He gratefully flashed a smile then jumped onto the fence that ran parallel to the canal water way to practice his daily balance exercise.

The trio made it to school without any complications. Kuno, as it turned out, had gotten caught up in teaching an early Kendo exercise in his club and, as such, Ranma would be spared his usual morning hassle. He breathed a sigh of relief. Another fight with the dense Kendo master would have been hell!

As if heaven was smiling down on him for once, the rest of the day went by smoothly. At lunch time, he sat with Akane and Ukyo under the shade of a blooming cherry blossom tree. Unfortunately, Ukyo didn't talk as much as she usual did, and her normally cheerful disposition was nowhere to be seen. Her mood had turned truly rotten the day she had learned about Ranma and Akane's date. For a while, Ranma pretended not to notice but he couldn't ignore the looks Ukyo was flashing him. As he listened to Akane drone on about nothing important, he realized that Shampoo hadn't come around for nearly a week. The only conclusion was that she was doing it out of anger or depression... or both. With the whole school talking about their relationship and the details involving the date, there was no doubt she had caught wind of it.

"Ucchan, try one of my pork buns," Ranma offered, holding one out to her.

Ukyo crossed her arms and looked away crossly. "No, thank you. I've seem to have lost my appetite. If I'm not good enough to go on a date with you like some _other _girl I know, then I'm certainly not worthy of sampling one of your favorite foods."

An uneasy silence settled in on the trio and, looking back and forth between the two girls, Ranma found himself growing distinctly uncomfortable. Finally enough proved to be enough and Akane excused herself to go study for her next class. Turning to look back at Ukyo before she left, her gaze turned hard as stone.

Ukyo looked at her. "What?"

Akane met her cold gaze. "Things could just as easily be going the other way with your relationship with Ranma, but they aren't. He could be with you right now, but he isn't. Get over it! I still consider you my friend and I hope to be yours. However, if you want to be sour and pout all the time like a child then I refuse to be around you. The choice is yours, grow up or stay away from me."

Ukyo scowled and turned away, instantly regretting the fact that she didn't have a proper retort handy. Akane's gaze met Ranma's and she winked before returning to the school. For once, Ranma completely understood what she was doing. It was true Ukyo had to get over their engagement, but he also knew it would take time, perhaps a lot of time, to heal. Ukyo wasn't a girl you could just break the news to all at once and expect to just shrug it off with a smile. She'd have to figure it out on her own.

Ranma patter Ukyo on the back and gave her a goofy smile. He couldn't stand to see his best friend down. "You're still cute, ya know. Don't let things get you down, Ucchan."

Ukyo couldn't help but smile at his cute remark. _This is just a phase. Ranma will see who the better fiancée is eventually. I just know he will…_

* * *

With a full stomach and an afternoon of boring classes, Ranma struggled not to fall asleep. The only class he really loved was foreign language. He was learning to speak English and had one of the highest grades in the class. His motivations stemmed from a secret desire to one day visit America, and tour its exciting cities. Akane apparently had no such interests; her language of choice learning was French.

At long last the end of the day came. As Ranma opened his locker to remove his shoes, he found a note lying inside. Little did he know the magnitude the innocent looking piece of paper would come to have on his existence. The slip of paper would be the start of a seemingly never-ending nightmare. But, at present he knew nothing of it and casually reached for the paper, flipping it open to read it.

**Ranma,**

** I will be waiting for you at your school football field at four fifteen. Be there if you are man enough! I want to see your weak skills in action one more time. This time, we settle things for good.**

There was no signature to the taunting note. Ranma growled and tore the paper into pieces letting the paper scatter to the four winds. If there were two things he hated the most, it was when someone mocked his manliness and his fighting skills. This person had just accomplished both! When he had been cursed at Jusenkyo, it caused his already large ego to question his level of masculinity... or lack thereof! Because of this, he often went out of his way to act tough during every situation… Little did he know that many people clearly saw through his infantile deception.

I'll be there, he thought to himself fiercely. Picking up his school bag, he sprinted out to the football field, dodging past students all the way.

Calling his name out loudly, Akane followed up behind him. "Ranma, I saw you take off back there, what are you doing out here?!"

He didn't turn around. "I have something to take care of."

She ran to his side in concern, keeping pace with his long stride. "But there aren't any sports club practice events going on out here today."

"Someone left a challenge letter in my locker and instructed me to wait for him here." Ranma performed a few brief stretches to warm his muscles up for the fight to come. "It shouldn't take long."

Akane sighed, shaking her head. "Another fight? Honestly, why won't these guys just give it a rest! Who was it this time, Kuno, Mousse, or both?"

"I don't think it's either actually…" The taunting note held an edge to it that neither possessed in their characters. It was just a feeling of course but Ranma's gut feelings were rarely wrong.

"I think I'll be facing off against someone I know, Akane."

She blinked in confusion. "What makes you think that?"

Ranma clenched his jaw. "A gut feeling."

"Well, just be careful, ok? Don't you dare get hurt!" Akane's stern expression hid the fear she felt inside as it rose up to cling to her heart. She blushed as her strong emotions and coughed, trying to cover her embarrassment.

Ranma gave her a thumbs up sign and smiled lopsidedly. "Hey, remember, I'm the man!"

Akane rolled her eyes. "That's _why _I'm afraid!"

A sudden breeze picked up and whipped the grass around their feet with devilish fury. Around them, everything went silent and even the familiar chirping of birds became nonexistent. It was an omen of doom, a sign of the impending terror to come. Ranma steadied himself as best he could, but since he still didn't know what he was going up against his guard wasn't up to the ideal level. This was not a normal sensation to him.

A short time later a fast moving, shapeless shadow appeared on the far end of the field. Shouting, several of the students pointed the peculiar thing out, alerting Ranma who turned to face the source of the commotion. The black form slowly stretched and tore, taking the shape of a man. As the cloud solidified, revolving within itself, chaotic energy ripped at the ground, carving huge rivets, and threw an abnormal amount of dark energy into the air. A powerful laugh sounded off as two red eyes blinked into existence and fell on Ranma almost instantly. They narrowed into slits as the laugh became an enraged snarl.

_Its not a shadow, its a ki shield!_ Ranma recalled that he hadn't seen one since Lychee's elephant had come crashing through town several months ago. The shield made it impossible to see who the antagonist really was. He stared in dumbfounded shock in the face of his newest threat partially because he lacked a clear plan of action. What attack could possibly prove to be immediately effective against an energy-covered opponent? And besides, a person who had the ability to mask their body with energy certainly had other, more advanced, techniques as well. This person had danger written all over him and Ranma was no fool. When it came to combat, he would have to be on his guard.

"Greetings, Ranma Saotome!" The words rolled off the Warrior's tongue with a certain relish. "I have been waiting so very long for a chance to face you again. Ahhh! This is it! The event I've trained so hard for. I feel very excited to be able to redeem my past mistakes. That's the reason I trained so hard. All my suffering, all my time spent in solitude is going to pay off today!"

"Ummm, again? I've never met a talkin' shadow before. Who are you really?" Ranma folded his arms across his chest, feinting disinterest.

The Shadow Warrior laughed shortly. "If you can defeat me, I will gladly tell you all the answers you desire. However, I'm better that wont happen."

Martial artists often had the ability to analyze an opponent with means other than their eyes alone. Stretching out with his senses, Ranma felt out his opponent with his energy and was more than a bit surprised with what he found. The warrior didn't have just one energy signature to him, but several. It was almost as if he had the energy and life force of several martial artists in his body at once. This was not only abnormal, and seemingly impossible, it was downright shocking. It was also an opponent type completely unknown to him. Never before had he squared off against a foe of this nature before. The more he studied this Shadow Warrior, the more uneasy he became.

As the stand-off continued, word of the impending fight circled around the school. More student's and teachers who happened to still be on the campus grounds made their way to the field to watch the fight. Nabiki led the way as was custom with her camera in hand. She smiled at the thought of the vast sums of money the fight pictures would bring. She'd have to move fast if she was going to capitalize on this, Ranma often won his matches in a matter of moments.

"So, you're challenging me? Very well, let's do it!" Ranma dropped into a good fight stance. "Let's not waste any more time, ok?"

"I knew you wouldn't back down. I'm so very pleased! Here, as a token of my gratitude, allow me to even the odds for you. I will make myself more visible. I want you to clearly see who is going to kill you."

As he spoke, the cloud around the mysterious combatant disintegrated, revealing his form in all its glory, clad in his repaired battle armor. It covered most of his body, including his face which was encased in a metal mask and helmet. He crossed his arms and looked at Ranma though his red eye lenses, gauging his reaction.

He blinked. "Am I supposed to be impressed!? You look like a stupid mechanical samurai from those old cheesy movies!"

Inwardly, Ranma knew he wasn't being entirely truthful. The jagged metal and spiked shoulder blades gave his opponent an intimidating appearance. He knew he'd have to move carefully, his body would give out in a long fight well before the Warrior's armor would. At least he knew he would be faster. That armor had to weigh a considerable amount and if it became necessary, Ranma knew he could wear his enemy down with his speed.

The Warrior ignored his comments. "I came here to present you with a challenge. If I win our little fight, you must swear on your honor that you will disband the 'Anything Goes' martial arts fighting style. These conditions stand only if you survive. If you should die in battle then your father will take it upon himself to carry on your vow. If you are a real man then accepting my terms shouldn't be a big deal. What do you say?"

"Why do you want all this?" Ranma asked, perplexed.

"Your school must fade into the obscurity of time. Only then will my revenge be utterly complete. I will ask you once more. Do you agree to my terms? A true martial artist would be thrilled to fight in a battle where the stakes are high."

Ranma clenched his fists, cracking his knuckles in the process. The Anything Goes style had, and always would be the center stone of his life. It was much too a high a stake to play with and yet, his warrior nature wouldn't allow him to back down! He had no choice in the matter. He glazed defiantly at the Warrior and prepared to utter his life-changing decision. The crowd leaned forward in anticipation and Nabiki shot off a couple quick pictures with her small camera.

"Alright, you got a deal! But, if I win, you gotta' promise to leave afterwards and never come back. I've got enough enemies here as it is."

The Shadow Warrior nodded his head. It was a logical and perfectly fair request, and since Ranma didn't have a chance in hell of winning, would pose no problem. "I agree to that. Oh, I knew you would make the right decision. It would have been a shame if I'd had to kill your precious fiancee' to get what I wanted."

Ranma snarled as his vision went red. "Leave her out of this! This is between me and you! Let's fight!"

The Warrior brought his hands out in front and curled his gauntlets into fists. "Your feelings for her will lead to your ruin. At any rate, I will finally use all the skills and techniques I've invented or acquired from the pathetic enemies I've faced on my greatest enemy of all! I will crush the life from your body, Ranma. Then I'll toss your mangled corpse into hell."

"Everyone has goals I guess!" Ranma snapped forward and made the first move. Leaping skyward, he threw his fist out, attempting to catch the man in his chin. However, the Warrior stepped to the side and the bewildered boy was forced to cut his attack short in order to land properly on his feet. The minute he touched down, he threw his left foot upwards to strike the face mask. Once again the Warrior sidestepped the blow, ducking out of the way as if Ranma were no more a threat to him than a fly on the wall.

Spinning back around like a cyclone, Ranma launched out with his fist again and this time, the Warrior effortlessly caught it in mid air. He held his opponents fist for a moment, long enough for Ranma to register what had just happened and what he could do. But instead of crushing it, as Ranma had expected, he released the fist and took a few steps back, casually waving for Ranma to come attack him again.

_He's toying with me!_ Ranma's pupils shrank as anger engulfed him. He could stand many things, but an attack on his pride was too much for him to bear. He threw another punch, far faster this time. "Fight back!"

His armored foe nodded slightly. "If you insist!"

The Warrior ducked swiftly under Ranma's outstretched arm and delivered a powerful uppercut to his chin, sending the dazed boy flying backwards, feet coming straight off the ground. Ranma's eyes glazed over as his vision blurred, and spittle coated his chin along with a searing blast of pain. It had been a long time since someone had hit him that hard. For an endless moment he was so jarred from the attack that he couldn't think straight. When he focused again at last, he found himself lying on the ground, head staring up at the blue sky above.

He shook his head, trying to clear it. "Shit..."

The Warrior resumed his stance. "At long last I will destroy the school that has made my entire life a living hell!"

"What are you _talking _about!?" Ranma climbed to his feet and rubbed his aching jaw. It felt like a full speeding truck had just slammed into him! He felt along the insides of his mouth for missing teeth with his tongue and breathed a sigh of relief when he found none were missing. That had been too close for comfort. Considering how high his pain threshold was, getting hit by someone possibly stronger than Ryoga was not something he could afford to have repeated.

Crying out, he charged forward again at a seemingly foolish rate. The Warrior prepared to kick him in his vulnerable, unprotected stomach but at the last second, Ranma dropped to the ground and kicked out his opponent's armored ankle, knocking him off balance. Jumping up, Ranma followed up by landing a hard punch to the Warrior's face mask, denting it slightly. Catching himself to keep from falling, the Warrior threw his weight forward and dropped into a low blocking stance, seemingly unaffected by the head-jarring punch to his mask.

_Damn it!_ What made Ranma madder than seeing that his attacks were having little effect, was the knowledge that his foe was holding back.

When Ranma attacked with even greater determination the Warrior hissed between clenched teeth and grabbed the boy's fist again, this time holding it tightly in his grasp. He pulled on the struggling arm, doubling Ranma over with a firm knee to his stomach then followed up with a chop to the back of the neck. Ranma allowed himself to fall as the attack threw him to the ground. The second he made contact he began a side roll that took him in the opposite direction of his foe. Leaping to his feet, he dusted himself off.

A slight jump closed the distance and he went on the offensive again, bringing his distance to the Warrior less than three feet apart. This was his optimum kill zone where his unmatched speed could inflict lethal damage.

"Katchu Tenshin Amiguriken!" His fists turned into blurred attacks as hundreds of lighting fast punches assaulted the Warrior's plated stomach. The armored demon took the blows without offering resistance. He there was no way to block such a swift, unexpected attack at that close a distance, but he also didn't seem overly worried and held his arms out to his side. Overestimating Ranma was his first mistake, and he would pay for it dearly. The punches fell upon him like meteors and to his surprise and horror, only about half the strength was minimized by his armor

"Arghh! He half fell, half stumbled backwards from the momentum, coughing violently and clutching his sides. Blood trickled down from the bottom of his face mask and dribbled onto the grass, staining it crimson.

He remembered that move now and he vowed then and there that it would not work a second time. The game was starting to get a bit more serious but in itself that was inevitable. Straightening out his arms, he flexed gently, dropping into a tighter stance. It was time to stop toying with the fool.

"Have you had enough yet pal?" Ranma asked, seething with anger.

The Warrior laughed, distancing his mind from the pain brought on by the attack. "I'm just warming up. I suppose it's my turn to attack now?"

He launched himself forward like a bullet train, catching Ranma in the face with a right hook then followed up with a jab to his sternum, snapping the flailing boy's body backwards. His attacks were too strong to just shrug off. The Warrior attacked with greater speed than ever before. With just a few more attacks he had Ranma on the ground once more. He towered above the bewildered teenager and stared down at him, the red tinted eye pieces built into his mask catching the light of the sun.

"Ranma!" Akane's gray eyes widened in terror as she watched on desperately as her fiancé's body was tossed around the field like a rag doll. Nothing like this had ever happened before and she didn't know what to do. Not since Saffron had anyone faced Ranma with such a clear intent to kill. Ranma's back was to the wall and he was faced with an impossible situation and an impossibly strong opponent. Akane clasped her hands tightly, wondering what she could do to help. This opponent wouldn't be one he could defeat with skill alone.

"Enough is enough!" Ranma rose again and his face twisted with absolute anger. He ran forward, not even taking the time to block his opponent's attacks as punches clipped his shoulders and cheek, cutting into the skin and drawing warm blood. His only thought was to cause pain and damage to his enemy… no matter what the cost was to his own body! Feeling pain was a luxury he could sidestep for the time being. All he had to do was place his mind in a distant place and let his honed combat reflexes do the work for him.

"Hyah!" He threw out his right fist, then his leg in a rapid combo strike. He attacked all out casting aside his inhibitions as he moved. There wasn't time to block or notice his own wounds.

_Kick, punch, kick, punch! _

Tearing metal and grunts of pain filled the air as Ranma's ruthless assault gained in power and speed. He created a cycle and pummeled the Warrior's armored body. He didn't let up; he knew that he had to keep up his momentum if the advantage was to remain in his favor. A round house kick to the mask, a short kick to the knee joint, Ranma's graceful dance of battle called on all his skill and strength. He moved around the warrior with greater speed, delivering blows that caused his opponent's armor to groan and bend.

_Damn it! If it wasn't for that armor he'd have been finished off a while ago!_ Ranma's thought, looking down at his hand. His knuckles bled and each blow he landed shot pain through his body. He ignored it, drawing on his anger to fuel his power. Some of his blows had to be taking effect and, as he rained down punches, he saw the Warrior stagger, the first slight sign of weakening.

Ranma's eyes flashed. _So he aint unbeatable after all!_

Elation settled in as he redoubled his efforts to end the fight.

Various members of the crowd gasped in shock at the ferocity of the battle. Most of them had never seen Ranma fight like an un-caged demon before. Even Nabiki looked a bit nervous as the two fighters grew more intense in their dangerous battle. She placed her hand on Akane's shoulder, holding her in place as best she could, drawing strength from her sister's presence even as she found her eyes glued to the battle in front of her. The two martial artists were like tigers and anyone who got in the way would only be torn to shreds. Akane made a move as if to step forward and Nabiki squeezed her shoulder firmly. If she let Akane interfere it would only cause more harm than good. If Ranma became distracted over worrying about the safety of Akane, he'd lose the fight for sure.

The two fighters exchanged one last salvo of punches at each other then broke away, both gasping for air. Ranma winced, clutching his burning torso and gritting his teeth. _One of my ribs must be bruised! This guy is strong! He's certainly one of the strongest people I've ever faced off against. I've got to finish this match soon while I still have a chance to win!_

The Warrior seemed to be a bit worse for the wear as well. Several sections of armor on his legs and arms had been cracked off and his chest plate was dented in by Ranma's powerful punches. Also, some of the armored spikes that dotted the metal suit's shoulders had snapped off all together. This didn't deter the Warrior in the slightest, nor did it even slow him down.

The unnerving thing was that he looked even more intimidating in damaged armor.

"You're better than you were last time, Ranma. However, you still lack the edge of desperation you had during our first encounter. If you cannot tap into a greater reserve of power then your every effort to defeat me will only result in more anguish and failure for you."

"What in the world are you talking about?" Ranma cried out in frustration.

"Basically, even if I didn't have this armor on, you still wouldn't be able to defeat me."

"Cocky bastard…"

The problem as far as Ranma could tell was the fact that none of his attacks were penetrating the Warrior's armor while his foes own attacks wore him down with no problem or resistance at all. It was a hopelessly lost battle of attrition. His mind raced for a solution as he steadied his bruised form for another barrage of combat. He had to find a way to either nullify the armor's ability or find a way to break it completely.

"I'll end this!" Summoning a portion of his ki reserves, the Warrior brought the power into his hands, cupping the glowing energy sphere as it concentrated the power. A bright flash accompanied the flow of energy, eclipsing the very rays of the sun.

_A ki attack!? What the..._ Ranma recoiled in shock, attempting to roll to the side, out of the Warrior's firing vector.

"Time to die, Ranma! The Warrior outstretched his hand, releasing the attack he had stolen from Kirin, filling the air with vibrant storm of yellow projectiles. His aim was true, and the bolts of power cut through the air, straight towards the area where Ranma would end up as he began his evasive maneuver.

Ranma took the multiple stinging blows in the chest and they bit into his flesh like the stingers of enraged hornets. He cried out in pain, falling backwards as his forehead hit the dirt, kicking up a small dust cloud. Vaguely he felt the taste of blood in his mouth and a moment later he found that rising to his feet had become a near impossible feat. Not even his great speed could have saved him from an attack almost as fast as the speed of light.

Groaning, he shook his head to clear it, rolling onto his back. He felt footsteps approaching and then his enemy was standing over him, reaching for him with one hand.

Laughing, the Warrior lifted Ranma's limp body off the ground and threw the boy backwards across the field as if he was a sack of hay. Bouncing to a halt across the hard earth, he once again tasted dirt in his mouth as he scratched at the grass with his nails, attempting to rise once more.

"Ranma!" Akane started to run towards him but Nabiki caught her sister's arm and held on with desperate strength. Akane was strong, but even she couldn't break her older sister's frantic hold when she put all of her effort into it.

"No, Akane! There's nothing you can do to help him! You'll only get hurt and place Ranma in greater danger!"

"Nabiki, let me go! Can't you see that Ranma's hurt?! I've got to help him!" Tears welled up in her eyes and she did everything she could think of to free herself short of hurting her own sister.

The elder sister held on tightly despite Akane's struggles, somehow finding the strength and courage to match the power of her younger sibling. The youngest Tendo called out her fiancé's name helplessly, holding out her hand as if to grab him away from the danger and bring him safely into her arms. She fell to her knees, helpless to do anything but watch.

Out on the field Ranma slowly rose to his feet, groaning, and fighting against the agony. His knee's buckled badly and his shoulders sagged in pain, but he managed to keep his balance all the while staring at his enemy with a look of total defiance and contempt. He breathed hard with exhaustion, perspiration and blood matting his hair.

This feat amazed the Shadow Warrior to no end. "How could you possibly still stand? That attack should have been more than enough to finish you off. How remarkable."

"It...will...take more than...a damn... tin...can...to finish...me off," Ranma spat.

"You aggravate me."

The Warrior's arrogant mood turned to frustration and anger, triggering the necessary ingredients Ranma had been looking for. Abruptly, the mid-afternoon air began to heat up as energy streamed off the Warrior's body like steam from a pan of hot water. As Ranma had guessed, the Warrior had clearly come to Nerima expecting an easy victory. Ironically, by doing nothing but resisting, he could invoke the armored warrior into giving him the necessary ingredients to finish him off. In short, Ranma reasoned, the Shadow Warrior was going to help defeat himself.

Ranma half smiled. "I've… still got... an ace in the hole."

He took up battle stance and raised his own cool, calm energy level, allowing the stream of power emanating from his soul to mix with his opponent's. The Warrior seemed oblivious to the occurring scene. He moved forward, like a crusader of destruction, watching and waiting for Ranma to attack.

Ranma needed to stall for a moment to set the groundwork for the attack. "So you're the one who beat up Kirin, huh?"

The Warrior stopped walking towards him and shifted his stance slightly lower. "I did. I also defeated Toma and Herb. You know them, right? I also defeated countless other weaklings in my quest for true strength. Every opponent had but one purpose: to supply me with the ability to defeat you soundly in battle."

He laughed at Ranma's concerned look. "Don't worry, they aren't dead. I suppose they wish they were though, especially after suffering such humiliating defeats at my hands."

"I'll pay you back a hundred fold for the suffering you've caused! Get ready to fall pal, because you're going down hard!"

The Warrior's stance led Ranma to believe that the figure behind the mask was smiling. "Interesting threat! The ball is in your court. Let's see what you can serve up."

"I'll be sure to slam it back at you!"

The cool blaze of energy that simmered around Ranma's body disappeared as the power coursed into his fist. He put his hand behind his back as the power collected, hiding the faint shimmer from his foe. A second later he sensed it was finished and he ran towards the Warrior with his other arm extended. The Warrior easily blocked the halfhearted attack, but it wasn't until Ranma gently placed his other, blue shimmering fist against his plated stomach that he truly sensed what was going to happen.

"Hiryu' Shouten Ha!" Ranma thrust his fist upwards, against the Shadow Warrior's mask, launching his ultimate final attack with a torrent of combined energy. His opponent could do nothing but choke off a startled scream as the accompanying energy wave lashed out at point blank range.

Ranma instantly felt the strain as his already weakened body struggled to control the power he had unleashed. The dragon shaped aura did its work well and he had to set his legs to remain standing as he fought against the strong force of exertion that attacked his body. Gritting his teeth, he looked up and watched his most destructive attack do its worst.

The attack hit the Warrior dead on then encircled him, forming a powerful twister that enclosed tightly around the thrashing powerhouse like invisible walls. The intense, energy-filled winds pressed in on his armor soundly from all sides and a sharp metallic groan emanated from his armor.

"No!" His body felt like it was going to be torn apart as tendrils of energy raked through his nervous system. He screamed in fury and pain, straining against his invisible bonds even while his mind told him it was a futile gesture.

For an endless moment, the people in the crowd held their breath, watching the dazzling display of lights and power before them. They knew it had been a last resort attack. Ranma never unleashed such a dangerous technique unless he absolutely had to. Still, a sigh of relief echoed out from amongst their ranks. Many students had seen his greatest attack once before and they knew its potential all too well. There was no way even an opponent as strong as the Shadow Warrior could survive such a blast, many deduced. It was surely impossible, especially when one considered the power of the determination and desperation Ranma had used to create it.

From her place on the ground, Akane prayed that the tables had turned at last, clasping her hands together until her knuckles turned white. "Ranma…."

The Warrior howled as the energy slammed into his body from every direction. Invisible tendrils of power picked him up and carried him roughly up into the top of the spiral, inflicting more pain than he could hope to endure. As the strongest point in the twister, the outer parts of his armor groaned against and started to bend inward.

_I won't be defeated like this_! Snarling, he knew the pressure would overwhelm his suit in a matter of seconds. When that happened he'd be utterly helpless. Fueled by this knowledge, he struggled violently which only helped to weaken him further.

It seemed hopeless and yet his mind fought back the senseless anger and fear that plagued him, continuing to work as hard as it could. An idea suddenly popped into his frantic head, and he clung to it as tightly as a rock climber clings to a cliff face. He quickly gathered his own energy and struggled to concentrate. He too had a last resort technique, one he placed all his hope on. It was a long shot, but there was no other choice other than to try out his theory. He hadn't intended to use this move so early in the fight, but Ranma Saotome had forced his hand.

He smiled despite himself. Nothing less could be expected from the teenage martial artist fighting genius. He was most certainly a foe worthy of killing.

The power of the twister increased as it began tearing into the ground, carving huge rivets through the grass and soil of the football field. Thrashing back and forth, crying out in agony, the Warrior struggled to gather his discipline and throw out one last attack that could save him. All the while, he absorbed what little information on this twister attack that he could. He had never seen Ranma use this move before, but he was willing to guess that it was his strongest move. Logically, if he could beat it, then victory was as good as his!

He couldn't help but grin weakly underneath his mask. He was young. Life, to him, was nothing but a series of risks and decisions. After all, there was nothing like a good dose of danger to make one feel truly alive. If he could pull this off, he could crush Ranma once and for all at his leisure.

"An amusing attack, Ranma!" He called down, unable to keep the pain from his voice. "Thankfully, I have a counter-measure! Matrix Orb!"

He released concentrated energy into his shaking hands and formed two tight spheres of power that pulsed like an electrical grid. Winding back with his arms, he fired them into the very heart of the twister below, against the flow of the hurricane winds. The twin globes of power ripped down to the center of the spiral and soaked into the twister itself. The energy balls leaked more and more power as they pulsed rhythmically, allowing the greedy energy twister to drink its fill until the balls disappeared altogether as the stored power diminished.

The effect of the attack was almost instantaneous. To Ranma's complete horror, the twister actually began to lose power as the Matrix Orb attack produced more power than the spiral could absorb, overloading and weakening its overall force. A terrible truth hit Ranma as he watched his attack start to unravel: The Hiryu Shoten Ha, a move based upon using an opponent's energy or energy attack against them, could be overwhelmed when too much energy was absorbed.

As the spiral slowly wound down and dissipated into the clouds above, he stared in dumbfound shock as the Warrior floated to the ground with folded arms, gently carried down by the dying currents of power. He brushed himself off and took a few steps towards Ranma.

"I'd say that was a good test run, wouldn't you?"

Once again, his power seemed absolute. He stood straight, hiding the fading pain from his posture. His damaged armor gleamed brighter than ever against the sun and he laughed from behind the damaged mask, his small, tight smile widening from ear to ear. At a loss for words, Ranma opened his mouth then closed it again, taking a hesitant step backwards.

The Warrior pointed his finger at Ranma. "Your attack was very powerful but I figured that if I threw in more energy than it could handle, then it would overload and destroy itself. I had to modify one of m attacks to accomplish that, of course. Still, the gamble proved to be worth the effort, wouldn't you say? I'm still standing after all."

"Damn you!" Ranma snarled, his hands balling into fists. He stumbled a few steps before recovering himself as a dizzy spell overcame him. The final attack had taken too much of his energy away too quickly. His body felt tired and strained and he had no more tricks up his sleeve. He wanted to quit and rest and yet, the need to keep fighting proved to be stronger than his desire to quit. Grasping the last of his remaining strength, he decided to confront the Warrior and changed the pattern of his attacks. If energy attacks failed, perhaps physical moves could finish the job. The Warrior had to be hurting after such a powerful attack. He just had to outlast the demon in armor and put him in his place.

The Warrior put his hands on his hips. "Whatever is the matter, Ranma? Getting tired already?"

Ranma's fist struck his hated opponent and he pushed himself with utter determination. He restlessly beat in the armor, thinking of nothing else but crushing his foe. His foot caught the Warrior in his plated sternum, and he pushed closer, hammering the spot over and over with his elbow. He didn't allow his foe a second to recover. Diving forward, after evading a sloppy counter-attack, Ranma attacked again and again, beating on the Warrior like a hammer on a nail. It was all the masked man could do just to block and fall back, redoubling his efforts to defend himself.

"I...will...never let...you beat...me!" Ranma focused his attacks on the Warrior's legs, trying to keep him off balanced and confused.

Akane's hand balled up into a fist and her eyes glazed over with fear and hope. Ranma's movements had quickly turned erratic and it was all he could do to just keep punching. His mind had succumbed to the rage held deep inside his heart, brought on by his new armored foe. Despite his wounds and lack of strength, he still fought on with his age old determination to win. Perhaps he could land a critical blow after all!

The Shadow Warrior had other ideas for the fight's outcome. "Your efforts are too little, too late. I have give you credit for your tenacity, but it wont change the outcome of this battle!"

With an animal-like growl, he ducked under Ranma's latest swing and reached out with his hand, grabbing the boy's hair and lifting him off the ground faster than it took an individual to blink. His other hand came up and grabbed Ranma's face, crushing in painfully from his temples to his jaw. Ranma raked his fingernails against the Warrior's armored wrist as he struggled to free himself, but it was a hopeless endeavor. His opponent's grip was just too strong.

The Warrior chuckled. "It seems I have the upper hand now. Pun intended."

"Let me go!"

"I think not. You simply have no idea how happy this makes me right now. Being able to make you wither in agony is simply delightful!"

"I'll...kill you!" Ranma continued to struggle.

"Come now! Struggling is useless and you know it. I could crush your skull into paste if I wanted to!"

He demonstrated this by tightening his hold on Ranma's face. The pig-tailed boy howled in pain as the last of his strength faded away. Hanging limply in his opponents grasp was all he could do. There was no strength left in his body and the Warrior wasn't about to let him catch a second wind.

The Warrior grinned. _His legendary endurance has failed at last_.

_I.. can't…just…_ Ranma jaw felt like it was breaking and his very senses caught on fire.

Akane cried out as tears fell from her cheeks in earnest. Breaking Nabiki's grip, she charged at the Warrior, intending to attack him and save her fiancé. Her battle scream echoed the pain and terror she felt in her heart. She knew she didn't have a chance but she also knew she had to try. Desperation easily overcame reason in such a case. Raising her fist, she approached from the side, aiming for the arm holding Ranma.

The Warrior turned to look at her. Keeping a good grip on Ranma's hair with his left hand, he removed his right hand from Ranma's face and raised it in her direction. "Do not interfere or I will kill you as well! Your fiance' is already as good as dead. Nothing will stop me. If you wish to share his fate then by all means step forward."

He threw a weaker energy beam into her stomach, knocking her back into her sister with a force that took the air from her lungs. Nabiki clung to Akane tightly as she succumbed to shock, shaking like a leaf.

"Akane, no! You damned…" Ranma kicked at the Warrior's side with all his might, struggling to hurt his demonic opponent.

The Warrior threw Ranma across the field by his hair alone. Twisting in midair, Ranma fell on his stomach and skidded painfully across the ground, his momentum kicking up dust as he slid. When he ceased moving his body, devoid of energy as it was, actually managed to rise to a kneeling position as he fixed the plated monster with a look of absolute rage. However, his body wouldn't go any farther than that. He had reached his limit, gone all out, and still been broken.

The Warrior once again charged up for an energy attack, balling his hands into fists. "You've given me quite a food fight, perhaps the best I've ever had. Now you will die so that I may be rid of your annoying presence once and for all! Blood Lance!"

Ranma brought his arms up to block but he knew it would be a useless gesture. Tears of sorrow filled his eyes as he stared longingly at his fiancée for the last time. Her face still panic stricken, even in unconsciousness. A wave of guilt overcame him and suddenly he felt sorry, sorry for teasing and hurting her feelings so many times over. He had let her down so much and now there was no more time to make amends.

He looked at her, feeling lost and broken. _I'm so sorry, Akane. I've never told you how I felt. Be happy, but never forget me or my feelings for you. I was an idiot, and I'm really sorry…_

A powerful red beam rushed forward at tremendous speed, shooting out of the Warrior's hand. The crowd gasped in horror as the sick reality of the situation gripped them. Everyone wanted to do something to help Ranma but the fear and realization that they too could be sharing his fate kept most from acting. Pandemonium took the crowd by storm and at least a few people fainted from shock and horror.

Ranma closed his eyes, preparing for the end of his all too brief existence. At least he could take comfort in the fact that he had gone down like a true martial artist, fighting all the way. He had faced death like a man. No one could have possibly asked for more. He patiently waited for the end, breathing in quiet, infrequent breaths that would soon be his last.

The life-ending beam hurled onward, only a second from striking his body and tearing it apart. Nabiki couldn't decide what sounded more horrible, the crackle of deadly energy or the Warrior's triumphant volley of laughter. Closing her eyes, her solid, often impassive demeanor cracked and a single tear fell down her cheek.


	11. The Alliance

Chapter Ten: The Alliance.

Ryoga wandered around aimlessly for nearly a day after he departed from the Tendo residence without a clear destination in mind. He figured that another training journey would help clear his mind and body of any further weakness and distraction, and had been toying with the idea of returning to the mountains to reflect. With luck, he might even be able to work up the courage to tell Akane how he really felt about her… after Ranma was defeated once and for all. He wasn't entirely disappointed with the outcome of their last fight; he had matched his rival blow for blow and if Ranma hadn't stooped to such dirty tricks the outcome might have been much different. If he could just get a little bit stronger, victory would be his for sure.

The only problem was that he couldn't find his way out of town! He quickly lost count of how many turns he had taken and so, he decided to just walk in a straight line and see where it led him. It was a normal solution to most of his problems.

He cursed in annoyance when he found himself walking through the back of Ranma's high school, past the stone statue of the fox that had been the source of one of his misadventures. "Damn it, I'm still in the same stupid town!" he complained, venting his frustration by punching a hole into a tree the side of a basketball.

It almost seemed as if destiny was keeping him here. Pondering this, he walked around the perimeter of the school as loud shouts and the sounds of combat erupted from somewhere ahead, sparking his curiosity. Following the noise, Ryoga found himself at the tail-end of a huge group of high school students and teachers. He bowled people over as he shoved himself through to the other side of the crowd.

_What's going on here?_ He pushed his way around a particularly tall student and saw the source of the commotion. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw Ranma punch some weird guy dressed in combat armor with enough force to crush concrete. His opponent lashed back with a blow that made even Ryoga flinch as a sliver of sympathy for his enemy worked its way into his mind.

_Ranma's getting beat pretty badly! Who the hell did he piss off this time?_ He watched as the unfortunate boy was thrown roughly across the school's field where he lay in an unmoving heap. His opponent began charging up to throw what Ryoga predicted would be a particularly nasty ki blast.

He gazed at his fallen rival again, studying him closely. _Ranma's hurt bad! This fight is for real! He won't survive if he gets hit with a blast that strong. He's my enemy but even I can't just sit back and watch him die!_

A brief period of indecision coursed through him as he struggled to decide what to do. He glanced over at the stricken Akane and at that moment, he knew what he had to do, even if he didn't like it. Pushing his way onto the field, Ryoga opened his umbrella and jumped in front of Ranma, shielding him from the intense blast as it crashed into them like a tidal wave. The strong energy played across his umbrella, forcing him to grit his teeth and lock his legs to keep from being blown backwards by the blast. The umbrella handle quickly began to heat up almost to the point of burning his palm. Thankfully, the Warrior cut off his attack wave a few seconds later, so he suffered no extensive damage or burns.

Ranma opened his eyes when the finishing blow never came. He was shocked to see Ryoga standing in front of him, the boy who had claimed to be after his life only yesterday, blocking the blast with his almost indestructible umbrella. "I don't believe it…"

The Warrior's shielded eyes blazed dark red behind his mask, seething more than nine hells. "How dare you interrupt our battle!"

Ryoga pointed a thumb at his chest. "Sorry pal, Ranma is _my_ opponent."

He took up fighting stance and dropped his umbrella to the ground beside him. He didn't care that his strong opponent was mad, but then, he always had been a bit reckless. He actually took a measure of pride in pissing off his foes, and he had succeeded this time with the greatest of ease.

"You have no idea what sort of misery you have just unleashed upon yourself," the Warrior growled.

Ryoga flashed a toothy, arrogant grin, dropping his backpack to the ground. "Time alone will tell."

"Not as much time as you think!"

Ranma looked up at his rival with gratitude beyond measure. "I never thought I'd be so happy to see you, Ryoga. I was in a lot of trouble."

Ryoga gave him a savage, toothy grin. "It wouldn't be the first time, would it? Besides, I couldn't let you get killed by this guy. If anyone's going to kill you, it'll be me!"

Ranma smiled grimly. "Same old, same old, eh?"

Ryoga turned back to his new opponent. "Ok, you, listen up! Ranma's in no shape to fight right now so I'll be his stand in."

"Interesting. Very well, I accept. In the end it doesn't really matter. If it comes down to it, I'll crush half the student body at this school to finish him off. If you truly want to go through with this then attack me at anytime. If you do so, rest assured that I'll kill you first. This is the only chance I'll give you to walk away and not look back. Do so, and I'll forget I saw you. Trust me when I say that nothing you do here today will change the outcome of this battle. Ranma Saotome will still lose his life!"

Ryoga grinned. "Quitting is not my style and besides, I never allow the weak to be bullied, not even my enemies."

At the sidelines, Akane's eyes snapped open as consciousness flooded back into her brain. "Ranma!" Blinking, she sat up and looked at her older sister with a panic stricken face, feeling very, very sick. "Nabiki, is he…?"

Nabiki shook her head, an effort that seemed to require far too much effort. "Ryoga saved him at the last second. He's fighting this guy while Ranma regains some of his strength."

Her voice still trembled with anxiety and even her even voice couldn't completely cover her panic. She knew how close Ranma had come to breathing his last and it had been enough to rattle even her cast iron nerves.

Akane stood up on shaky legs and thanked the powers that be a hundred times over for Ryoga's timely appearance. It always seemed that despite his horrible directional sense, he always managed to get into an engagement at exactly the right moment and at a time he was most needed. "Ryoga, watch out! He's really powerful!"

Ryoga looked over at Akane and gave her a thumbs-up. "Don't worry, Akane! I'll take care of absolutely everything!"

Dropping into a low combat stance, he smiled, inching forward_. With her watching me, I cannot lose. The Gods will smile upon me and I'll show her I'm stronger than Ranma by vanquishing this foe_!

"Let's get to it!" He leapt forward, throwing several of his razor sharp bandannas to cover his advance. The Shadow Warrior jumped nimbly out of the way but left himself open to a powerful jump kick from Ryoga that slammed him into the ground hard enough to form an impact crater.

Laughing, the Warrior climbed to his feet, shrugging dirt off of his form. "You are clearly as strong as Ranma. I believe I remember you now. This match should prove to be more entertaining than I first thought."

"Not likely, pal. You're still worn out from your fight with Ranma. There's no way you will beat me as trashed as you are."

"We shall see. This isn't the first time that you've interfered with my plans. I guarantee that it will be the last. Everything ends today. I gave you the generous chance to save yourself but if you are so eager to meet death at it's gate then so be it! Your bloody carcass will be added as yet another trophy in my collection of victories."

The Shadow Warrior extended his arms and locked his hands with Ryoga's. He applied all his strength at once, intending to break Ryoga's arms and finish him off in one foul swoop. Immediately, Ryoga threw his left foot back and dug it in the ground to keep from falling backwards from the strong momentum. His powerful muscles bulged with effort as the Warrior pressed down on him with all his might. Yet, no matter how strong he was, Ryoga knew he could not hold out in a prolonged test of strength. He was strong, but his opponent was clearly the stronger in endurance. He focused all his strength and forced the Shadow Warrior's hands closer and closer to his own armored body, thus eliminating the danger of getting his arms broken by a sudden snap to the side. It took a massive effort to pull it off and couldn't be held for long.

"Ha! Impressive! The last time I performed this move I nearly tore my opponent's arms off."

"I don't care about the details!" Ryoga fell down on his back and brought his foot up, flipping the Warrior over him, end over end. It was his only recourse given the situation. His arms couldn't have held up much longer.

The Warrior gracefully flipped in midair and landed on his armored feet without the slightest bit of effort. He dashed forward a second later and threw a magnitude of well aimed punches that Ryoga barely managed to dodge. Ducking and rolling backwards, he avoided another barrage of attacks and managed to snag a hold on his umbrella, which was currently imbedded into the ground. He jumped at the Warrior and swung down at an arc. The Warrior blocked the blow with his forearm, using the momentum to throw Ryoga back in midair.

He landed gracefully on the ground and swung his umbrella out again. His opponent sidestepped a stomach intended jab and wrenched the weapon from his hands with one fluid slap. His armored knee found Ryoga's stomach a second later, doubling the boy over until his chin fell, resting on the ground. With pain-filled eyes, the Lost Boy glared up at his opponent with naked hatred, grimacing against the pain.

The Shadow Warrior relaxed his stance slightly, taking a deep breath. "Is that all you are truly capable of?" he asked, looking down at the fallen boy. "That was utterly pathetic."

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryoga slammed his pointer finger into the ground and released a storm of rocks at the Warrior before he back-flipped to his feet. Shards pelted his armor and obstructed his vision and Ryoga used this cover to jump up and attack. Proving that his reflexes were greater still, the Warrior dashed to the side at the last second and kicked Ryoga square across the ribs. Again, Ryoga fell to the ground, wincing and grabbing his burning torso.

The Warrior stalked forward. "So then, this really is the limit of your skills. You're finished."

"Not yet!" Ryoga back-flipped to his feet. He charged forward and delivered a painful overhead smash to his foe's helmet. As the Warrior tried to punch him in mid-air, Ryoga grabbed his wrist and flipped him end-over-end into the hard ground, splintering the rock. When he rose clumsily to his feet, Ryoga rushed in close, delivering a full powered uppercut and then several punishing jabs to the Warrior's plated gut.

Recovering with inhuman speed, the Warrior blocked several more of Ryoga's quick attacks and worked his way inside the boy's defenses. The two fighters squared off at close range, delivering savage kicks and punches. Ryoga received the worst of it. None of his attacks could fully penetrate the armor and the Warrior's attacks started to grow stronger and stronger with each passing second. Blocking a sudden strike aimed at his still burning ribs, he found the Warrior's other hand wrapped tightly around his neck like a Python.

"The same move worked on both of you. How ironic. I don't have any more time to waste on worthless opponents like you. Its time for you to die."

He lifted Ryoga high over his head and tightened his grip. Ryoga could feel his windpipe crack as it neared the breaking point. No matter how he struggled, he couldn't break the iron grip that held him. His feet lashed out, bashing the Warriors face plate but the grip didn't slacken.

_This guy isn't human!_

The grip tightened further and his muscles started to slacken against his will as the lack of oxygen began to take its toll. The road to oblivion opened up before him and he began to fall towards it. In the distance, he saw Akane, tear-eyed and sobbing as she stood over his grave. Spurned on by this image, he redoubled his efforts to free himself.

_No! I can't fail! I must succeed for... Akane!_ Gritting his teeth, Ryoga swung out with the strongest kick he could muster. His foot slammed into the side of his opponent's plated head, bending it in. The Warrior's head snapped to the side but the grip on his throat didn't slacken. Cursing silently, his body went limp again, weaker than before.

"Just die!" The Warrior's fists slammed over and over again into Ryoga's stomach, rocking his body like a punching bag on a chain. The punches sapped more and more of the boy's strength, leaving him helpless to the neck crushing strength of his opponents grip.

I _can't break his grip…I should have known better…than to get involved…_ He closed his eyes, awaiting the end. It was all over, there was no hope left for him. _That's what I get for helping that pervert...Damn it all! Damn you… Ranma..._

A blur flashed before them and the Warrior's grip was finally broken as Ranma planted a strong kick on his elbow joint, numbing his arm from shoulder to wrist. Freed at last, Ryoga fell to the ground, massaging and grasping his swollen throat, gasping for air. The pain was excruciating! He clawed at the ground, willing the strong, painful fire to fade away but relief was slow in coming.

Ranma stood in front of him, eyes blazing blocking the Warrior from trying any cheap shots against the fallen combatant. "The way I see it, Ryoga, we can't beat him individually. This is one opponent who's seriously out to kill us. We have no other choice but to pair up. If we don't, we're dead!"

Ryoga growled and rose to his feet. His hand fell from his throat and tightened into a fist as a mask of rage struck his face that frightened Akane as she gazed on. "Fine by me!"

The Shadow Warrior crossed his arms and chuckled. "Well, well, Ranma! Are you still able to fight? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Both of you have always been quick to recover. Breaking you both is going to be a fun challenge!"

Shouting battle cries, Ranma and Ryoga charged forward on the offensive. Their punches played havoc on the Warrior's strong armor as each attacked from a different angle, supporting the other. He had to concentrate entirely on defense in order to block the multitude of attacks aimed as his defeat. The feat seemed was all but impossible, even for a highly skilled person such as himself and yet, his defenses formed a nearly unbreakable wall that kept him safe for a time. The three moved back and forth across the field, as their attacks broke on each other. To everyone's surprise, even his own, the Warrior held up his solid defense, for a time.

But his success was short lived. The two men kept attacking with seemingly limitless energy that eventually broke his defenses down entirely. He slumped over slightly, exhausted and dazed and his vision blurred for an endless moment. His posture drooped with exertion and he started to breath heavily, giving them the chance they needed.

"Now, Ryoga, hit him hard!" The two boys coordinated their attacks, moving to compliment the other. They threw two strong punches to his face mask and two solid kicks to his chest so properly coordinated that an onlooker might have thought they were seeing doubles of the same person. The timed attacks created double the punishment and sent the howling Warrior skidding backwards across the sports field, forcing him to hunch forward and slam his fingers into the ground to stop his movement, forming a long line of rivets as the resistance caused him to slow to a stop, many meters away from where he had just been.

As he stood up straight, the pain nearly toppled him. Though he did stagger, he refused to fall. He set his feet and brought his arm up to attack, struggling to catch his second wind. It was a seemingly impossible act, especially for a person who had just taken the strongest physical attacks Ranma and Ryoga could offer. He was one opponent who was quickly showing them that he was a master of the impossible.

The Warrior growled again with inhuman rage, stepping forward, retracing the ground he has just lost. "Now I'm starting to get pissed off!"

He broke into a run that was surprisingly fast, swinging his fist and catching Ranma in the jaw so hard that the boy's vision flashed white and he fell to the ground. The pigtailed boy hit the ground head first, his eyes shrinking to mere pinpoints as shock set in.

"Your turn!" He spun on his heels and kneed Ryoga hard in the chest. His body snapped backwards and blood trailed from his mouth onto the bright green grass below.

"_Now do you see? I will be the victor here. You have both given a valiant effort but neither of you possessed the skills necessary to defeat my determination. It's a sad reality, but true."_

Ranma jumped up then helped Ryoga to his feet, neither moving as quickly as they had before. "Our normal attacks won't bring him down, Ranma," Ryoga said. "It looks like we gotta' use our ki attacks. "

Ranma frowned. "I dunno, he took the Hiryu Shoten Ha and broke it down. He might be too strong for our energy attacks."

"We gotta try," Ryoga insisted, glaring at the Warrior as he stood passively, waiting their next move. "One attack might fail but two combined is enough to handle anyone, human or not."

Ranma thought a moment. "Alright, when I give you the signal, use your Shishi Hoko-Dan attack! We need to maximize its power by combining it with my own at precisely the right time! Your right, all out energy convection is our only hope. If we can both hit him at the same time, he won't stand a chance!"

He shot Ryoga a serious look. "Before you got here, that guy promised to kill Akane when he was done with me."

"What!?" Eyes flashing red, Ryoga ground his teeth so hard together his gums started to bleed. Rage and frustration hotter than magma burned through his body, and hot on its heels was an overwhelming sense of depression. He didn't have the strength to beat this foe alone and win Akane's affections, and so he had thrus far failed to keep her safe from a nutcase who wanted to kill her, kill his Akane! This would not be allowed! He summoned the great depth of energy within him, casting energy from his body with great speed that exploded like a shockwave. He crossed his hands over chest and found that he had started screaming in rage, his limbs trembling as he bent his knees.

He glanced over at Akane, his angel, and saw the fear in her eyes and ceased to be a man as his vessel became a weapon, bent only on violence. The Warrior would pay. Oh, how he would pay!

Ranma too opened his mind and soul and felt the warm energy tingle across his skin and into his hands. Using his mind, he shaped the energy into a tight ball and cupped it in his palm.

The Shadow Warrior laughed again. It was a terrible noise that sounded less pleasant than nails on a blackboard. "It's almost insulting to see that you two think I haven't prepared for this kind of situation. Your strategy will not succeed. Surrender now and I swear that your deaths will be painless."

"Ryoga, hit this bastard with everything you've got! Moko Takabisha!" Ranma's arms outstretched and his eyebrows beetled as he concentrated deeply, summon what reserve energy he could muster. He knew he'd only get one shot to save his life. It was a time of action and even though the tension was high, he felt only confidence. This influx of power only served to strengthen his attack further. He was a martial artist, he would not fail, _couldn't _fail! He flexed the muscles in his arms and howled out in creation's name, firing a beam of power stronger than any he had ever used before.

"You don't have to tell me twice! This bastard is going down!" At the same time, Ryoga threw his hands outward and willed his eyes to close, tearing his gaze from Akane. From the depths of his mind, he conjured up the vilest of depressive and dark memories. Akane lying in a pool of her own blood, his own death at the Warrior's hands, Ranma finally winning over Akane and gloating to his face; these potent thoughts brought a greater torrent of dark energy into his body, electrifying him with its negative soul-shadowing power. The negativity he felt became raw energy that quickly coursed down into his hands. Dark emotions, arguably the strongest things a human could feel, were his weapon of choice. Thru it, his target would be destroyed!

"Shishi Hoko-Dan!"

The two devastating columns of energy, one blackish blue, one a vibrant yellow, shot forward like missiles. As the twin beams bared down on the Shadow Warrior, it seemed for a moment that their attacks would at last finish the job. However, instead of crying out in terror as others would have, their enemy just laughed and raised his hands as if he meant to embrace the chaotic power that charged at him.

"Your attacks are worthless!"

His smug laughter turned into a bark of madness. Only a person who was truly insane would willingly stand in the way of such power. His crazy laugh grew louder as the adrenaline pulsed through his veins. Reaching up to chest level with his open hands, he caught each of the blasts in his hands and fought back against the powerful shockwave that slammed into his body. The energy pushed him backwards several hundred feet thru sheer momentum, threatening all the while to destroy him. His laughter choked off altogether and turned into a growl as he fought against the flow of energy that sought to break him in half. His hands were slowly pushed back closer and closer to his chest. Digging his heels into the ground, he stopped his movement and began pushing back against the current. It was an impossible feat! Surely he wouldn't succeed! The crowd gasped in horror and, as a whole, took several cautionary steps backwards.

Ranma's eye's narrowed in fury and he turned the power level up to its final notch. The beam grew fatter as more and more power fed itself into the already impressive ki current. Ryoga too submerged completely into the negative emotions he had summoned, losing his ability to think. Revived waves of black aided his slightly faltering beam of energy as electric particles sizzled with new power on its ever-changing surface.

"I will win!" The Warrior's own energy pulsed to life and he slowly forced his hands away from his chest again as if he were doing a pushup, defying the twin beams of power as they struggled to overcome him. As everyone watched in horrified fascination, strands of green power winked to life, snaking out from his fingertips and wrapped around the two beams of energy as they continuously slammed into his palms. These tendrils seemed to fight and pull against Ranma's and Ryoga's energy, trapping it like a spiderweb ensnares a fly. The hungry webs of dark energy spread across the Warrior's hands, forming twin bubbles that greedily suck in more of Ryoga and Ranma's power more like an undeniable vacuum.

The Warrior cried out in determination. He had to maintain perfect concentration to hold up his defensive orbs. One slight slip and he'd be left with no way to defend himself against their attack. Setting his feet, he still began to slide backwards across the ground due to the momentum alone.

He frowned as sweat trickled down his face. It was going to be close. His energy nets couldn't hold much more. If things lasted too much longer they would overload just as Ranma's Hiryu Shoten Ha had moments before. Growling stubbornly, the Warrior's body was eclipsed by a loud explosion that disrupted the air around the trio, shrouding the field frm in dust.

Sapped of too much power, Ranma and Ryoga finally cut their attacks off and slumped as exhaustion took hold once more, leaving them barely able to stand. Wheezing for breath, Ranma and Ryoga looked first at the opposite end of the field, then to eachother.

"D-did we get him?" Ranma gasped.

"Dunno..." Ryoga struggled to stay up of his own power, his form shaking. For a moment, all was silent and he allowed himself to think the job had at last been completed. But this conclusion was crushed just as quickly as it was created within the conflicting confines of his mind. Even with his energy levels so far diminished, he still felt the intimidating power of his enemy in the air around them.

The Warrior hadn't died!

Ryoga's eyes squeezed shut tightly. "Impossible…"

A renewed, terrible laughter filled the air and the dust cloud dissipated as if an invisible hand had brushed it aside. Before them, the Shadow Warrior held his hands up for all to see. In each hand, he gripped their collected energy as tight as a selfish child grips a piece of candy. Green power swirled around his closed fists, containing the two powers within the intact energy bubbles. Ranma and Ryoga stared at the horrifying sight in dead silence.

"Using my Ki to create a bubble, I was able to contain your attacks. So long as I concentrate, I can do so indefinitely. I told you both that you were waging a foolish assault, did I not?"

Their reactions caused him to chuckle. "Don't look so shocked! To your credit, even I wouldn't have survived if I hadn't known how to do that little trick. You did manage to skin my palms a little."

He held up his still smoking hands as he held tight to the pulsing spheres of power.

"You bastard..." Ranma gritted his teeth hard.

"R-ranma, he caught our attacks!" Ryoga couldn't believe what he was seeing. It was just too much for him to take in. It was a nightmare beyond comprehension. Energy was a powerful and violent force. It was somewhat easy to block such attacks, or redirect them… but to actually _catch _such tremendous force in one's hands was a feat neither youth had ever seen before.

"This battle ends now!" The Warrior threw the blasts back in the direction they had come, striking the two boys in the chest before they could move. The energy tore into them unmercifully, cutting into their souls, robbing them of any further strength and willpower to resist his onslaught. As the energy shut down their nervous systems, it ripped Ranma's awareness away and everything became night before his eyes.

As the two boys hit the ground, far from the places in which they had been standing before, Ryoga somehow managed to remain consciousness and struggled to rise to his feet. Perhaps it was because his beating had been less severe, perhaps he had found a bit of strength left. Regardless the reason, his efforts were still in vain. He couldn't even muster the strength to attack. Closing his eyes tight, he cursed his fate and awaited the invertible end that was surely only a moment away. His soul relaxed, and he too succumbed to the pain that ravaged his body, falling backwards onto the soft grass as it reached up to tickle at his skin.

The Warrior stood triumphant at last. He chuckled evilly, stepping towards his defenseless prey with murder as his intent. As the armor moved across his body, he noticed small pieces broke off and fell the ground with each step. Still, the majority had remained intact, withstanding the test of battle. It was truly of fine quality to have absorbed such violent attacks. He was very pleased and smiled behind his identity hiding mask. His gloved hands flexed as he prepared to carry out the bloody conclusion to his long quest, excitement taking him by storm. He would take their lives without the slightest bit of remorse or mercy. Oh, how he had waited so long to do so!

He stepped up to Ranma Saotome and knelt at his side, running his hand through his felled opponent's hair in an almost gentle fashion. Channeling a bit of energy into his hand, he positioned it over Ranma's head, letting his knuckles rest on the boy's forehead. The Warrior coolly estimated that one good blow would crack his skull clean open. Licking his lips he savored his absolute victory.

His cold, metallic laughter pierced the air and the wind carried it to the ears of every frightened attendee. "And now, Ranma Saotome… you die."

Nabiki placed her hands over her mouth and screamed until her lungs refused to work anymore.


	12. Destinies Forged

Chapter Eleven: Destinies Forged

A flood of water fell on the defeated boys, soaking them and activating their curses. The Warrior jumped backwards in surprise at exactly the same moment seemingly afraid that he too would have gotten wet. Snapping his head to the side, he looked to find the source of the latest and most irritating interruption to his revenge. His temper simmered to the boiling point as he saw Akane, Ranma's fiancée as he recalled, drop a bucket of water she had been carrying and run out to her defeated friends at a dead sprint.

_Amazing._ He bowed to her mentally, honoring her determination, courage, and resourcefulness even as his anger tried to wrestle control away from his judgment. Trying to help them escape took a lot of nerve and he respected that, foolish as it was. The act was still futile, and he saw no reason why he should spare her life in the process. He had warned her once to stay out of it and he did not like to repeat himself.

Scared beyond description, Akane had broken free from Nabiki's grasp only moments before to get some cold water. She knew the Shadow Warrior was strong, stronger than Ranma and Ryoga even when they had put aside their differences to fight together. Her only thought was to rescue Ranma from their certain deaths before it was too late. All thoughts of personal safety had been shoved aside. She decided that as a male, Ranma would have been too heavy to carry far away at a dead sprint so the water idea had been a natural solution. In his girl form, Ranma would be many times lighter and easier to transport away quickly.

Her eye's snapped wide open in shock as she reached the two boys, watching the cold water soak through their clothes and caress their skin. She hadn't thought of a solution as far as rescuing Ryoga was concerned before she got the water; there hadn't been time to think and her brain was panicking too much for rational thought. Even though Akane would have hated herself for it, she would have left him there if it meant Ranma would survive. It was a terrible moment in life in which one had to make an awful choice amidst a terrible situation. The thought made her sick to her stomach, but it Ranma whom she cared most for, and if there could only be one she could save, it would be her fiancé.

However, as she saw the near comatose piglet lying on the grass beside her fiancé, she knew her current problems were instantly solved even while new ones materialized. Everything clicked into place in her mind and at last she understood. A thousand and one memories of Ranma chasing P-chan around the house, kicking and punching him for sleeping in her bed ran past her mind's eye. Oh yes, now she understood, and despite being panicked half to death, anger raced through her veins. She mentally brushed that away from her mind. There would be more than enough time for that later, presuming they all survived.

Reached down and grabbed the two cursed boys she felt a pair of eyes staring into her back. Gulping audibly she paused in mid-motion. Slowly turning around, she placed herself in front of Ranma and Ryoga, shielding them as best she could. There was no one to help her, no Ranma to get her out of this predicament. For the first time, it would be up to her to save them all. Knowing that her own skills in the martial arts were far less than Ranma's only caused her to panic more.

The Warrior glared at her and raised his hand. From his palm, a small ball of energy sparked into existence, twinkling as it gathered power within itself. It rose to hover a few inches above his open palm and glowed with destructive intent. Akane stared at it in naked fear. It was too late, she simply hadn't moved fast enough! As a result, the Warrior once again held all the winning cards. She felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car as she stared at his intimidating form hover over him.

"Where do you think you're going, hmm? I'm getting very tired of these interruptions today. Here I am attempting to settle my old business and you see to delay that again."

He sighed theatrically. "Do you realize the danger you've gotten yourself into just now? My Matrix Orb here could destroy the three of you in an instant. You really shouldn't have interfered, little girl. I have no mercy on the weak."

Akane half turned and tucked the girl and pig under each of her arms, preparing for an all or nothing dart to safety. She had to try, even as her mind screamed at her, warning of failure. As her executioner stared at her behind an unblinking, battered mask, she started to tremble. She had never been so scared in all her life. "Please… no!"

"Absolute victory will be mine once I have destroyed Ranma and one other. I can't very well let you stop me while I stand on the threshold of victory, now can I, Akane Tendo?"

Tears formed in Akane's eyes and spilled over like little waterfalls. She couldn't attack him because to do so, she'd have to release her hold on Ranma and Ryoga. If she did that the Shadow Warrior would have a clean shot. She was trapped and no miracle could get her out of it.

"Please, just let us go! I don't even know who you are or why you feel like you need to hurt people, but just leave us out of it. Whatever happened to you can be fixed peacefully, I'm sure of that! There's no need to kill anyone!"

Her pride faded away. This person wasn't just another challenger or love struck fighter. The only thing this man wanted was blood and vengeance. He was an unmerciful opponent, one whom no one in Nerima had ever come across before. Her eyes opened wide. That had been why Ranma had lost the fight! It was because for once, he had been taken by surprise. Ranma simply had not been able to adjust to this new type of opponent fast enough to make a difference. He had never faced an enemy before who was so bent on pain and destruction. In truth, it didn't seem possible such a person could even exist.

The Warrior extended his hand and the ball of energy grew increasingly stronger. He started to laugh quietly, almost as insanely as before. There was no reasoning with him; it would be a pointless gesture to a man so bent on destruction. Akane shrunk back, edging slowly towards the other side of the field. Her desperation radiated from the feelings she secretly shared for Ranma and her burning desire to protect him. She clenched her eyes closed tightly. "Please let us go!"

For an endless moment, no one moved…

The Warrior abruptly closed his fist, smashing the ball of energy as abruptly as he had created it. The red flare in his eyes dimmed slightly and he nodded his head, slowly. "Very well."

Akane blinked once and stared at him in a state of numbed shock. "Huh!?"

The Warrior laughed and folded his arms smugly against his chest. "Don't misunderstand me or my true intentions. I've fought against Ranma before and I know that he's capable of so much more than what he's shown me today."

He pointed to Ranma. "I want to fight him in an even more intense battle so that when I do crush him, I can experience that glorious feeling of satisfaction knowing that he gave it his all and still lost. Yes, I will grant him an extension on his life. In return, he must return here in exactly one week to continue our little showdown. He may bring his useless friend again if he wishes, but if anyone else interferes be they friend or the police, I will slaughter you all in the most horrible fashion I can possibly think of."

Akane took several steps backwards, glancing at the crowd of onlookers out of the corner of her eye. "And if he refuses to fight you again?"

The Warrior sighed and while his form displayed it Akane doubted he showed any form of pity at all. "I pray that he doesn't truly entertain that option. If he doesn't show up I will show no mercy. Keep in mind that I do know where the two of you life. I have no qualms about killing everyone who stays in that household. You will make sure he returns. Oh, and if you get in my way again next week then I will kill you before his eyes. That is the last warning I'm going to give you."

He waved his hand dismissively. "Leave now before I change my mind."

Akane turned and ran away from him. Catching a good jump, she bounded over the awestruck crowd, using their mass numbers as cover to make good her allowed escape. Her heart threatened to explode inside her chest as the terror started to fade, unfreezing her mind. She realized that it could all be a trick and the Warrior could have been bluffing the entire time, or playing a sick game. Truthful or not, she wasn't going to give him the chance to correct his mistake in letting them go. Cutting down a side alley, she disappeared into the heart of Nerima, losing herself among the tall buildings.

The warrior watched her go, grinning behind his metal helm. _This turn of events could prove to be quite amusing! I can't wait to see how much stronger the two can become with a weeks worth of solid training._

He crossed his arms and laughed with inhuman glee. The awful noise diminished substantially when he gazed down at his damaged armor. He looked like a tin can that had just been kicked down the street. Many sections of his armor had either been dented in or torn off all together. He was thankful his helm had held up, he didn't want them to know who he was, at least not for the time being. That would ruin half the fun.

_They really did a number on me. Mazakin combat armor is so durable that I wouldn't have thought their attacks could penetrate it. If I hadn't been wearing it, I would have been finished! Perhaps those two will prove to be more entertaining than I had previously thought. I can hardly wait._

"One week, Ranma. After that, you must return to be slaughtered. That is the inescapable destiny that fate has in store for you."

Approaching sirens signaled that it was time for him to take his leave. Apparently enough phone calls had arrived at the police station for them to take the situation seriously. Given the amount of unnatural and crazy events that occurred in this section of Tokyo, they could hardly be blamed for not dismissing an event as unapproachable. A dark cloud of ki enveloped him like a cloak, transporting him away to safety with a blinding flash of light.

His echoing words contained a drifting sinister message, one that promised death if it was not complied with. Akane clenched her eyes shut to block off tears and kept running. She didn't understand how she had heard his voice when she was sure she had run far enough away. That voice, that evil, powerful voice, played over and over in her mind. Its horrible, loud distorted tone filled with hatred and malice. It chilled her to the very core of her soul.

Akane weaved through traffic and kept running, pushing citizens aside as they blocked the passage her flight took her.

* * *

Ranma woke up on top of her futon from a sleep that seemed to last forever. As she sat up, her bruised body screamed in protest as the hopelessly lost battle continued to remind her of its tragedy. Sighing, she looked down to see an equally beat up P-chan sleeping beside her. She gently shook the pig until his large, beady eyes opened. "Ryoga. Ryoga! Ryoga, are you ok?!"

P-chan's eyes took a moment to focus but he eventually nodded, squealing softly, looking around the room.

Ranma looked around and instantly felt confused when she noticed her surroundings. "Hey, wait a sec, this is my room! What happened!? How did we get home alive? I thought for sure we were dead."

P-chan shook his head. Though Ranma couldn't understand his grunts and squeals, she gathered that he was just as confused as she was.

The door to his room opened and Akane walked in, dropping Ryoga's clothes on the floor with one hand. In her other hand, she carried a tray of water and tea. She set the tray down then gently knelt down beside them. Ranma noticed that while she tried to appear strong and cool, it couldn't mask the look of pure horror and fear that still gripped her features. Her skin was still a bit on the pale side. Something had happened after he had lost consciousness, and it hadn't been pleasant.

She sighed and looked at the two of them with exhausted eyes. "I managed to splash you two with cold water and get you out of danger."

Ranma's eyes widened at this. "You mean after all that, he just _let _you go?!"

Akane fidgeted. "Well, that's not exactly how it happened..."

A new thought dawned on Ranma and her jaw hit the ground. "You splashed us both with cold water, didn't you? Then...then you saw..." She couldn't bear to finish the sentence. P-Chan seemed to figure this out at about the same time, his eyes shining with a mixture of horror and fear. He started to shiver and quietly took several nervous steps backwards, trying to make himself invisible.

Akane nodded, sighing heavily. "Yes, I know everything now. Who would have thought P-Chan was Ryoga. I guess that explains why you kept dropping me hints and why you were always jealous when I slept with him at night. Stupid me, huh?" Her indifferent attitude failed to cover the pain and sadness she felt.

P-Chan started to move behind Ranma's leg, afraid of her coming wrath. She glared at him for a moment then reached forward to slap the pig hard across the face. He flew onto his side and a large, angry mark appeared on his cheek. "How dare you! I trusted you, Ryoga! After all we've been through, how could you betray my trust like that?! You stay away from me! You hear me!?

P-chan turned a sickly shade of white and tried to make himself as small as he could.

Angry tears burned on her cheeks. "I want nothing more to do with you! Do you understand?!"

She stormed from the room for a second then returned to hand Ranma a hot kettle. "I have a few things to take care of, so go ahead and change back. Oh, our parents went into Tokyo to go shopping according to the note they left on the fridge so we'll be home alone for a couple of hours. Wait here, I'll be back in a few minutes."

As she headed back towards her room, Ranma poured a healthy dose of hot water over herself and Ryoga. "Well Ryoga, I'd say you're damn luck! I really expected her to beat your brains out. You knew it was only a matter of time until she found out. You didn't think you could lead a double life and not get figured out eventually, did ya'?"

Ryoga snarled and quickly dressed, pulling his clothing angrily onto his form. "I'm such a fool! I should have told her about my curse in the beginning! What the hell am I going to do now!?" Waves of depression washed across his aching body, surprising Ranma. He felt utterly drained, how did Ryoga still have any power left? Maybe in terms of the short term depression and angst really did give a good kick of energy.

Ranma took a drink of water and winced. Even the smallest movements hurt. The insides of his mouth were cut up from the Warrior's crushing punches. "Apologizing might be a good idea. She's been known to hold one hell of a grudge." It would also distract Ryoga from his foul mood. If he got much worse, his body would probably form a Shishi Hoko-Dan to flush out the negativity in his soul. If that happened and the house blew up, Soun would not be happy at all.

"Right!" Ryoga handled this advice as he did all other matters in life and acted instantly. He dashed out of the room and knocked on Akane's door without giving it a second thought.

"Come in, Ranma."

Gulping, Ryoga walked into her room. Normally a place of contentment and peace, it felt like a hostile battlefield zone now. The crestfallen girl was sitting at her desk, looking out at the lawn from her window. Hot, angry tears still stained her soft cheeks. Wiping them quickly, she turned to glare at him. "What do you want!? I thought I told you to say away from me you, you pervert!"

Ryoga winced and dropped to his knee's, his forehead touching the ground. "Akane, I'm so very sorry. You must believe me, I never meant to hurt you! I know I should have told you about all this a long time ago. I beg for your forgiveness! I'm not a pervert…. I just..." His voice choked up and he just stared at her with shaking eyes. "Beat me up all you want, just… please don't despise me."

Akane stood up, struggling to maintain her composure. "You betrayed me, hurt me, and took advantage of my trust! I have no reason to forgive you!"

She raised her hand and Ryoga flinched, closing his eyes.

She sighed suddenly, and sat back down, shaking her head. "But... you were once a great friend of mine. You also almost lost your life today defending Ranma. That counts for something. While I can't promise I'll ever trust you the same again, I'll try hard to forgive you. I still want to keep you as a friend, and I'm going to try and salvage our friendship. To do that I need complete cooperation and trust from you."

Ryoga's nodded his head, looking a bit too eager and Akane's mood slipped again. She placed her head in her hands. "Oh Ryoga, you slept with me, saw me in the nude, and overheard my most secret dreams countless times"…

She put her head in her hands. "I suppose I feel more violated than angry at this point."

Ryoga bowed lower. "Forgive me..."

Akane looked at him a second later and placed her hand on his shoulder, sighing again. "You've always been there for me in the past and, as I said a few minutes ago, you've helped save Ranma on more than one occasion. I suppose I do owe you one in that regard. As I said, you were a good friend Ryoga, and I want you to stay as one. But, your on _thin _ice! Pull anything sneaky like that again and you'll be in traction for months!"

Ryoga stared at her. "T-thank you, Akane." With that secret out of the way, he could finally work towards telling her how he really felt about her. He'd have to wait a while yet until he got back on her good side, but at least his greatest fear was out of the way. It was still too soon to act. Soon though.

Akane playfully punched him in the arm. "Come on you pervert, go get Ranma and meet me downstairs. There's something you two need to know about."

Motivated once again, Ryoga dashed from the room and grabbed Ranma by his pigtail. Protesting, Ranma struggled not to spill his drink as Ryoga dragged him down the stairs. Ranma's rump hit each stair and he bit off an angry remark as Ryoga hauled him to the dining table.

Akane couldn't help but laugh at the comic sight. It took a moment for her to gather her composure, and she desperately needed laughter after the afternoon they had all gone through. She started to speak and Ranma perked up, giving her his complete attention as she gazed directly into his eyes. He knew when she was serious and for once, he was going to heed her words.

The small clock on the wall provided the only noise any of them heard as she composed her thoughts. Its steady _tic tock _ominously counting off the seconds in the week of freedom that had left until the Warrior came to finish what he started. Akane folded her hands tightly and took a breath to steady herself, finally raising her eyes to look at them both.

"Ranma, you were unconscious at the time so you didn't hear it… That man... whoever he was, said he would give you one week more to prepare for a final match. If you don't show up, he said he would kill our families! I know its extremely dangerous but... please, don't fight him again! Ranma, Ryoga, I beg you! You two were nearly killed today! You both know what would have happened if I hadn't stepped in when I did!" Her eyes threatened to tear over again and she shuddered at her hidden thoughts, shaking with revulsion.

Ranma opened his mouth to speak but Ryoga held his hand up. "Akane, we're martial artists. If we are challenged then we must accept or else we lose a part of what we are. Without pride and honor we can't call ourselves masters of the art."

Akane stared at him in shock. "I'm a martial artist too and I say what good is pride and honor if your both dea-"

Ryoga cut her off. "We have no choice Akane! It has to be done! Besides, we'll know how to handle this guy better now that we've fought him once already."

"That's right!" Ranma nodded his head in agreement.

Akane crossed her arms as anger set in but Ranma saw through the act. He knew that in situations like this, she used anger, an emotion she was very familiar with, to cover up her more vulnerable side.

She's scared, he thought. Hell, im scared too. We've been through a lot together... but nothing like this! This one's for real! By all rights I shouldn't even be alive right now.

Ranma waved to Ryoga. "Yo man, could you excuse me n' Akane for a sec?"

Ryoga started to protest but a pleading look from Akane shut him up. "I'll be in the backyard," he mumbled, opening the screen door. "Let me know when you two are done."

Ranma shut it behind him then knelt in front of Akane. For a moment, an uncomfortable silence hung in the air as he gathered his own thoughts. "Akane," he finally said, "I know you're scared. I am too, believe me! But a true martial artist can never back down in the face of evil. What would have happened if I had backed down to Kirin, Toma, or even Pantyhose Taro when I faced them in the past? What if I had just shrugged my shoulders and left? You wouldn't be here today, would you?"

Akane sighed. Like it or not, he did have a good point for once. "But you'll lose again. This isn't an opponent you can just bounce back and defeat like all the others! If you died, I don't know what I would..."

He cast his eyes downward. "You would get on with your life. Eventually you'd forget about me and… ya' know… marry some other guy."

"Never!" Akane's outburst startled him and a new set of tears formed in her eyes. "I could never forget you! I care about you, you dummy! If you get killed... I'll... I'll never forgive you!" Grabbing hold of him, she buried her face in his chest and sobbed.

Ranma's eyes widened and he was taken aback. "You're usually not this open about your feelings, Akane."

She looked up at him with tear stained eyes, sniffling. "Yeah, well, having your fiancé facing a life or death situation tends to speed up the emotional side of the relationship process, I guess."

Ranma smiled. "Akane, I can't control what happens in the future any more than I can change the past. But I will say one thing for certain. I will not back down, and I will fight him again."

Akane's heart broke and her world shattered around her. After throwing her feelings out, he was just going to go back and get himself killed? She felt dizzy as her vision began to blur. The singing birds outside, the ticking clock in the kitchen, even the jumping fish in the pond all ceased in her mind. For an endless moment, there was absolute nothingness, a void in her mind heart and soul. She felt sick.

"I won't lose again," he said with utter conviction, holding her face in his hands, forcing her to look up at him. "Believe in me! If this guy isn't taken down, he will only cause further pain to someone else. I can't be selfish and worry about my own life alone. He won't kill me, I promise. I have so much to live for, a life to live. I will live for _you_, Akane, and because of that, I won't lose a second time. I swear it! "

At a loss for words, she planted a firm, determined kiss on his lips and held herself there for an endless moment, crying silent tears. Suddenly the threat of the mysterious Shadow Warrior and his challenge didn't matter. Ranma at last, had shown at least a little of his true feelings for her. That was enough to soothe her worries. Nothing else mattered, at least at the present.

Her fiancé smiled, and leaned back to look at her. "Akane, I-"

Outside, a scream echoed loudly throughout the neighborhood. Wordless noise, it never-the-less spoke of bountiful anguish and pain of the likes that tore at the very soul. The area that was the backyard of the Tendo yard turned back as night, shrouding the two in darkness.

Fearing the worst, Akane ran towards the screen door. "Oh no…"


	13. Ryoga’s Darkest Hour

Chapter Twelve: Ryoga's Darkest Hour

Ryoga didn't want to get lost so he sat down on the largest stone surrounding the Koi pond and waited for Ranma and Akane to finish their private conversation. He absentmindedly began poking holes in the rock as his mind recalled the events he had experienced just hours before. He ran his battle with the Warrior over and over in his mind up until the point where he lost consciousness and visibly shuttered at what had almost come to be his fate. The part that irked him the most was that he couldn't think of any point in the battle that he could have gone back and redone to change the outcome. The simple naked truth was that he had been completely outgunned and outclassed.

That galled him more than anything else. He raised his hand and looked down at it, staring as if in wonder. _My strength wasn't enough_.

This amazed him. He had fought stronger opponents before, such a Lime, Herb's personal guard, but his own strength had always risen up to a greater level to help him win in the end. The fact that he was trashed so easily today scared him. This was one opponent his stubborn determination wouldn't save him from. He had meant every word he had said to Akane and in a week's time he would bravely go out to do battle once more. But it took more than bravery to win a fight, and it was a lacking in these other essential categories that his fate would be decided the second he stepped onto the field of battle once more.

As he turned to face the closed screen door, he felt a little peeved that he had been thrown out of the discussion prematurely. He rightfully felt like a part of the situation! Hell, he had risked his life to save Ranma, so discussing the matter at hand without him felt like a slap in the face. Clearly, Ranma was just trying to keep her to himself!

He heard them talking in subdued tones. _I wonder what their talking about? _

A Koi jumped out of the water then dove back into pool's clear depths. The little splash created ripples that Ryoga turned to gaze at. It had a hypnotic effect on the boy, temporarily soothing his mind. He stared into the moving water and reflected on the events that had occurred since his coming to Nerima. They had been interesting times to say the least, and it had all nearly come to an abrupt conclusion just one hour ago.

A small shutter ran down his spine as he remembered how close he had come to getting his head crushed in. He was still suffering the effects of post battle induced stress. The near death experience was eating away at him inside and it would take a while for him to fully recover. His mind continued to dwell on the past and he went with the flow, thinking, and thinking… falling deeper into himself…

He had been in training almost all of his life, spending years perfecting his own variation of the art, often training in complete isolation from other people. After all this effort and training, how could he have lost not just once, but twice in one week! Being defeated in battle by Ranma was bad enough but when a mysterious person was trying to kill you... that added a whole new dimension to it! A fight with Ranma left a bruise on the ego. A fight with the Shadow Warrior would leave you dead.

Worst of all, this life and death experience was already causing him to cross examin himself. He often shouted at Ranma, telling him how he wanted to kill him. Had he ever actually meant any of it? If he had beaten Ranma to within an inch of his life, would he actually throw that last, life ending-punch? He wasn't so sure anymore, not after having his life threatened in so brutal a fashion. It was long overtime he reevaluated himself, he decided with a nod. After this whole mess was settled, there would be plenty of time for such things.

He continued to wait patiently until he heard a shout and further commotion coming from inside the house. Silently, he crept forward and opened the screen door an inch, succumbing to his curiosity. In the span of thirty seconds his life came crashing down around him. Not fifteen minutes after Akane had discovered his horrible curse and a nightmare had been closed forever, a new one had come into existence! Ryoga felt faint and staggered back a few steps, wishing he could make himself go deaf so he wouldn't have to hear any more.

He listened on in stunned horror as Akane brought her lips up to meet Ranma's as a small moment of passion consumed them, their outlines visible through the closed screen door. The darkness took him then, shrouding his mind like a dark veil. He staggered backwards again, clutching his forehead in agony. He didn't even have any time to prepare for the situation, it just happened! Suddenly the world started to spin around him at a sickening rate. His head spun rapidly in tune, throwing off his balance.

_Akane loves Ranma! She kissed him! There's no other explanation for it! He's beaten me for her affections! How did this happen!? It can't be true…. It can't be true!_ _I refuse to accept this!_ His heart of glass shattered and fell into the darkness. His very soul tore itself in two and he screamed with inhuman agony.

The screen door slammed open as Ranma and Akane dashed out, fearing an attack on the Lost Boy. Instead, they saw him standing in the middle of the backyard with no trace of emotion present on his face. Black ki swirled around him, sparking with raw, unconstrained energy. The grass around him singed against the whisper of dark power and turned black instantly. Even the air itself felt heavier than usual. A crackle of electrical energy surged through the air, charged with depressive energy.

"Ryoga, what's wrong!?" Akane tried to run towards him.

Ryoga's vacant gaze turned to look at them as if he had just noticed their existence for the first time. Staring at Akane, his face twisted horribly into a mask of pain. He clutched his head and screamed again, his mouth parting wide as tendrils of power whipped about his legs. The intense noise shot harmless traces of energy in all directions. A wild, almost tortured look appeared on his face and he knew he had to get away, far away from the object causing his pain. He had to run, before he lost himself completely. He jumped over the large stone wall and disappeared down the street that lay before him.

_Damn, Ryoga must have been spyin' on us! I gotta' go after him! Who knows what he's liable to do when he's like this_! Clenching his fist, Ranma started to run towards the wall.

Akane held out her arm. "Ranma, wait! I'll-"

"Akane, I want you to stay here! I have to go after Ryoga alone!" He took a solid leap, hurtling over the wall, and began tracking down Ryoga.

"But Ranma, I..." It was far too late; Ranma had already gone, his impressive speed aiding him as he tore through town.

Standing there by herself, Akane stared at the wall with a mixture of fear and confusion, clutching her hand tightly to her chest_. I hope you're ok, Ryoga. Oh, why was he so upset?! I thought I had been overly kind after finding out about his curse and forgiving him. What could have hurt him so badly?_

She fell to her knees in concern. Abruptly, the wind picked up and brushed gently across her face and hair, as if it were bringing a soothing caress to her worried mind. As if the Shadow Warrior wasn't enough to worry about. Today was doing its best to shatter her sanity.

She sighed and stared up into the blue sky, her gray eyes desperate. It was too much to deal with, on top of everything else that had occurred today. The emotional rollercoaster brought on by the appearance of the Warrior, then the discovery of Ryoga's curse was bad enough, but now she had this to deal with as well. All she could do was wait and hope that Ranma knew what he was doing.

_Ranma, please bring him home safely!_

* * *

A gulf of emptiness conflicted with a gnawing pain, seemingly without end or any traces of relent within the confines of the mind of Ryoga Hibiki. Timeless suffering with no escape hounded him, and his mind was a jumble of feelings mixed in with depression.

He ran down the street at a dead sprint, taking no notice of those around him or which direction in which he fled. His mind dropped into a violent sea of despair in which he couldn't escape from. It enclosed around him like steel bars, like a cage around his heart and soul. His entire world had been based around his love for Akane. But now that she openly showed her true feelings for Ranma, his purpose ceased to exist. The carefully constructed world around him tumbled and collapsed like a pillar cracked beyond repair. His sanity was torn into shreds within the confines of his tattered heart and he realized then, at that moment, that there was nothing left for him. This made him sob and tears of sorrow formed in his eyes. Just as quickly as they fell, however, he angrily wiped them away. That wasn't how a man was supposed to act.

At least, at the very least, he could still cling to that principle.

He continued to flee from that in which there was no escape from. His legs continued to carry him along without a clear purpose. He saw the entrance to Furinkan High as he passed it on the right and time seemed to slow down, his run turning into an almost dead halt in the middle of the road. That was where his new life had truly begun, that fateful day he had tracked Ranma to this place. If he had known how things would turn up, he would have stayed home that day two years ago, and forgotten about Ranma and his desire for revenge.

Suddenly, a seemingly brilliant idea occurred to Ryoga, one he hadn't thought about before, not even in the blackest part of his mind. The idea burned brightly in his mind, amongst his dead, burnt out joys and sorrows. It soothingly offered him escape, an access route away from this pain. Everything made sense to him at last and he began to act, turning toward the gate. His destiny shone before him like a road leading to infinity, the bright idea shining on, lighting his way. He had no choice other than to follow it!

With a minute nod of acceptance he back-tracked his steps and ran through the school's closed gate, breaking the metal fence in half. He had one last task to complete and his vacant eyes looked skyward, to the tallest part of the school.

It was time to end things, once and for all.

* * *

"Ryoga!" Ranma ran down the street, calling out for his rival. Panic gripped him once again as he replayed over and over in his mind the doomed, dead look Ryoga had shown on his face moments before. He had never seen his rival in such a hopeless state before, not even after beating him in the worst of their battles. He could admit, at least to himself, that he was scared for Ryoga, maybe even scared of him. Ryoga had almost seemed... insane.

_Where in the hell did you go Ryoga!?_ Breezing past startled people on the streets, he searched every alley, the water canal, every place he thought Ryoga could possibly be. He had no doubts that he would find the tormented boy in time; his rival was not one for subtly. Destroyed property or a mighty Shishi Hoko Dan shooting skyward would surely show him the path to travel in no time.

His searches of the various places around town were fruitless and he paused in the middle of the street to ponder his next move and catch his breath. By chance, he happened to look across the street as Furinkan's clock chimed off the hour and he saw the destroyed gate,

_Why would he go to Furinkan?_ Ranma hopped over the closed fence, calling out Ryoga's name again as puzzlement creased his face. His searching blue eyes looked skywards, and he saw a figure standing on the roof above the huge clock. It didn't take a genius to figure out was happening. This knowledge fueled him even as it left a sickening feeling in his stomach. At that instant he was in motion, his strong leg muscles propelling him forward.

_Oh shit! He's going to..._ He dashed into the school, slamming open every door he crossed. Reaching the stairs, he leapt a flight at a time, pushing his speed to the limit. His trashed body screamed for him to rest, but he refused to give in!

He mashed his teeth together, driving his body into a frenzy of speed. _Please, please, please let me get there in time!_

* * *

Ryoga stood on top of Furinkan and took a deep, soothing breath, finally allowing the last of his rage to die away. The wind picked up sharply, rustling his unruly hair. He knew that what he was about to do should cause him to be afraid. But he felt nothing, so there was no fear or panic. All his emotions had gone away, leaving only a cold, dark hole in the place where his heart once beat.

His thoughts drifted to Akane and memories flash before him. He still remembered the night she had adopted him as her pet and how she had held him in the Tunnel of Lost Love, and that one time when Ukyo had once set up a date between Akane and him only to have her plans unsettled as Ranma came crashing in, interfering as usual.

_Ranma..._ Ryoga was sure that the thought of his rival would send him into a berserk rage. After all, wasn't it Ranma who had caused most of his problems? No, deep down he knew all along that Akane loved Ranma. He couldn't blame Ranma for that; it was his own fault that he hadn't confessed his feelings to her months ago. Now it was too late and the last bit of meaning his life had crumbled and died away. He knew what he was going to do, what he had to do. He felt no fear.

_Ranma, take care of Akane…_ He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for the last time and leaned forward, letting his body fall freely as a sigh of finality escaped from his lips.


	14. A Friendship Formed from Chaos

Chapter: Thirteen: A Friendship Formed from Chaos.

Reaching the top at last, Ranma threw open the last door leading him up to the roof. He stared in horror as Ryoga fell, a look of indifference on his face. He had gotten there too late! He screamed and dove forward, making a last ditch grab for his suicidal friend as Ryoga's still frame dropped over the side. Time seemed to slow down to almost non-existence as his body moved through the air.

"No! Ryoga!" Ranma felt his chest slam into the ground and yet, he felt no pain. His hands closed around Ryoga's ankle, clutching to it with all his might, holding onto the dangling boy. He slid forward a bit and banged his stomach on a loose brick, knocking the breath from his lungs. Holding preciously tight to Ryoga's ankle, he managed to rise to his knees. Planting his feet firmly on the rooftop one foot at a time, he slowly pull the Lost Boy back onto the roof and out of danger. Only then did he collapse from exhaustion.

Ryoga lay in an unmoving heap on the ground, clearly unconscious. Ranma stared at him with naked fury in his eyes. He poked the boy's prone body, shoving hard with his foot. _That damn fool! What was he thinking!?_

He nudged Ryoga again and at last the boy's eyes slowly opened. He slowly rose to a sitting position with a vacant expression on his face. Ranma could see he was clearly in shock and as he watched his rival, anger rose and found he couldn't control himself any longer. "Damn you! What the hell were you thinking?! You almost took your own life!"

Ryoga didn't stir which just fueled Ranma's anger all the more. He got up in Ryoga's face. "Snap out of it and listen to me, damn it! You almost committed _suicide_! Do you have any idea what would happen if ya' had hit the ground?! You'd be dead, gone, game over! There are no second chances. Come on, this is the real thing here! Think about how Akane would have felt if I had to tell her you died! Do you have any idea what would have done to her?! Damn it, listen to me!"

Ryoga blinked. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Ranma's words had an effect. He groaned once and rose up on uncooperative feet. Everything Ranma just said rushed back to him and suddenly he became responsive, spinning to face the other boy as cold anger blazed in his eyes. He shoved Ranma back several steps and clenched his fist.

"What do you care, Ranma?! You could never understand how I feel! When I lost Akane, I lost all willingness to live! Besides, I would think you would have been glad to have me out of the way! One less rival to deal with, right?"

Ranma waved his hand in the air. "Woh, wait a minute! Ryoga, that's not-"

"Don't you dare say a word," he screamed. "What do I have to show for myself?! Nothing! I'm doomed to wander around forever, lost and alone! That's a destiny I refuse to accept! Naturally, suicide is the only answer. Why did you have to save me anyways?! You hate me! My death would amount to one less trouble in your life, that's all. Let me die!"

A sharp punch to his cheek staggered Ryoga back a step and cut off anything he could have otherwise said. His eyes, which had been dim and vacant, returned to conscious clarity and he blinked, focusing in on Ranma and staring at him as if it were for the first time. "Ranma?"

Ranma shook his head sadly and let his anger drain away. "No, Ryoga. I won't let you take your own life. Where is the honor in that? We may be rivals but I've... always considered you a friend of sorts." He looked away, unable to meet Ryoga's gaze. Feelings were not something he was comfortable in dealing with and he detested feeling vulnerable.

Stopped cold, Ryoga's eyes filled with tears of despair. A friend? That was something he had never really had. He hadn't really cared about it before, or so he had thought. Looking into his soul though, Ryoga finally admitted to himself that maybe he didn't hate Ranma after all. Maybe it was finally time to move on and let the past rest. He wasn't doing anything but wasting his life away on revenge and the more he thought about it, the less appealing that idea became.

He gripped his face in his hands. "I'm a total idiot…."

Ranma blinked. "Hmm?"

Ryoga bowed his head, too ashamed to make eye contact any longer. "Ranma, I... Thanks. You have always been a friend of sorts to me too… I was just too blind to realize it. I was always so jealous of how Akane always seemed to prefer you. I could never face the fact that maybe she… really did love you. That idea hurt too much. But that's all going to change now. I realize how things really are now and I'm not going to try to change the outcome. I'm stubborn, and I sometimes have a hard time accepting things as they are, but I can see a doomed cause when it smacks me in the face."

He staggered a few steps until he caught himself, shaking his head as if to clear it. Tears fell from his eyes and while he attempted to stay calm, his jaw trembled with emotion. "I feel like I'm waking up from a bad dream. It's like I was watching what I was doing all this time but it wasn't me in control... I was helpless to stop myself and if you hadn't come along I would have…"

"Look, don't think about that anymore. You just need a little bit of rest is all. We've had one hell of a day and I know you gotta' be hurting as much as I am. Look Ryoga, we've waited a long time to get to this point and it took both of us nearly dying at the hands of a freak in a tin suit to make it happen. I think we could become real friends if we put our pasts behind us once and for all. Our feud has been going on long enough, bread or otherwise. What do you say? Friends?"

Ryoga smiled and extended his hand. He didn't even have to thing about his decision. "I can't promise that I still won't want to kick your head in from time to time but… yeah friends." The two shook hands. For the first time, Ryoga felt his eye's open. He realized that he could look at the world in an entirely new way now that he wasn't dwelling on hatred. His soul was reborn like a Phoenix and he felt a rush pass through him, leaving him lightheaded. It almost seemed like a dream. In a matter of moments, two years of violence between the two came to a screeching halt, leaving in its place the seeds for an alliance that would make the two far stronger than the sum of their parts, though neither knew it at the time.

"We'd better get back. If I know Akane as well as I think I do, she'll probably worried sick about us! Can you manage to walk back?"

"Ryoga nodded distractedly. "I still can't believe I almost…"

"Hey, its over! Just forget about it, ok? You just need some time to unwind and come back to yourself. You can stay with us at the dojo for a while if you wanna, at least until this thing is over. I'm sure Mr. Tendo wouldn't mind."

Ryoga blinked. "You mean you'd actually let me stay in the dojo?"

"Sure, I don't mind as long as it's not in Akane's bed as P-chan. You can sleep on the extra futon in my room. There's more than enough room. Come on will ya', I'm hungry!" On the way out Ryoga picked up his umbrella and backpack which he had forgotten there earlier that day. The two started on the short walk back to the house through familiar streets filled with unfamiliar people.

For a while neither spoke. Ryoga stared at the ground as he walked. The aura of a shamed warrior hovered about him, dragging his steps. It was more than Ranma could bear and he finally coughed to get Ryoga's attention. "Ya' know Ryoga, its going to take more than teamwork and training to beat this guy. Our special attacks were completely useless. I have no idea how I'm going to find an edge this time."

"Yeah," Ryoga agreed, placing one hand on his stomach. He wasn't feeling so well. Even if he did tend to bounce back quickly after something happened to him, an attempted suicide was another matter entirely. It left him physically and emotionally drained. He suddenly felt sick when he thought about what he had tried to do and his face turned a sickly shade of white. He tried to concentrate on what Ranma was saying and ignore the agony his body felt.

"It felt like he was reading our moves," Ranma continued. "That's something no one's ever been able to do. His armor also gives him a tactical advantage. What I really want to know is how he performed Kirin's attack. I know there's no way he'd ever teach his move to a guy as dangerous as that."

"I have an idea on that one. It's going to sound crazy, but I'm sure it's the answer. While I was chasing you around China before Jusenkyo, I stumbled upon a village… one of many I visited. It just so happens that this particular village was hold a martial arts tournament and I was able to see one of the strongest fighters perform a move that steals selected portions of a person's memory against their will. I'll bet my bandanna that this Warrior learned the move and is now using it for his own ends."

"I'm surprised you didn't try to learn this move yourself," Ranma commented, trying to stoke Ryoga's pride back to life. It worked and Ryoga shot an indignant look his way, squaring his shoulders.

"I don't want to steal anyone's techniques. I wanted to beat you with my own skill alone."

Ranma smiled and nodded, turning back around. "Hmmmm. But the real question is why he's out to destroy my family's school? He told me he hated the 'Anything Goes' school of martial arts, but he never said why."

"It could have been something Happosai did to him," Ryoga said.

Ranma groaned, slapping his forehead. "I bet that's our answer right there! That old lecher is always up to something! Maybe I need to have a little 'chat' with him. Oh wait, scratch that, he isn't home. He went on an 'ultimate panty raid' in America a couple of weeks ago. We have no idea when he'll be back. Normally I'd say good riddance to bad rubbish, but the one time we actually need him, he aint around."

"He's bound to turn up sooner or later," Ryoga pointed out.

"Where there are panties, there's a way. We'll get him, one way or another." Ranma's clenched fist foretold a severe beating to come if Happosai was found to be linked to the psycho in armor in any way shape or form. "When he does come back, we'll get to the bottom of this. If nothing else, he might be able to shed some light on whom exactly this guy is. I wonder what his identity is..."

Ryoga sighed. "That's the biggest mystery of all. We're completely in the dark and the part that sickens me is that everything is going the way he wants; we're dancing to his tune and somehow, we've gotta change the music. "


	15. The Bearing of Souls

Chapter Fourteen: The Bearing of Souls

As the boy's continued the walk home, their conversation started to change. By the time they arrived as the Tendo residence they were laughing and slapping each other on the back with forced cheer as each tried to raise the spirits of the other. All the stress they had felt, all the pain and fatigue started to melt away within their hearts and they knew, at least for now, everything was going to be ok. If the people in Ranma's neighborhood didn't know any better, they would have thought the two boys had been best friends for years.

The events of earlier almost seemed a dream in hindsight. Except for the scrape marks and bruised bones and other injuries inflicted on them it might just as well have been.

Hearing the two out front, a very worried Akane rushed out to them. "Ranma, wha-" she stopped in mid-sentence and gaped in surprise_. Ranma and Ryoga getting along for once!? What's going on here?_

Composing herself, she gave him a stern look and put her hands on her hips. "Ranma, its been over two hours! Where have you two been?!"

Ryoga stiffened and a visibly worried expression appeared on his face. How could he possibly tell her the truth and live with his shame? Luckily, Ranma came to his aid. "We didn't go anywhere, just for a walk so we could talk about next week's match... say, something smells good! Let's eat!" He pushed Ryoga in front of himself as they entered the house.

Akane shot him a suspicious look, reminding him that he wasn't fooling anyone. Ranma leaned toward her until his mouth was only an inch or so from her ear. "I'll tell ya' everything later," he whispered.

"Ranma! My boy, are you alright!?" Genma and Soun ran to the front door.

"We heard all about what happened! Are you really okay?" Soun asked.

Ranma certainly didn't feel okay. His entire body ached and the rib-crushing punches he had endured on his torso only hurt more after he cracked them on the roof while saving Ryoga. He could endure the pain, but his present condition made any extensive movement impossible. "Yeah, I'm okay."

"I owe you a debt of gratitude for saving my son, Ryoga." Genma said, totally serious for once.

Ryoga looked at Ranma and nodded. "He's already more than repaid the debt."

"Son, I think this time you have bitten off more than you can chew." Soun lit a cigarette and inhaled to steady his nerves. "Our school's very existence is at stake from what Akane has told me."

"His life as well!" Akane exclaimed. "That's far more important."

"Hey, I didn't do nothin' to provoke this attack! Don't blame me!" Ranma protested. "I don't even know who this guy is!"

Ryoga nodded. "He's telling the truth, Mr. Tendo. Engaging him in battle probably wasn't the smartest move we've made, I'll admit. But to my knowledge, Ranma doesn't even know what this person's true reasons are for launching this attack. His motives and identity are a mystery."

Soun put his hands on their shoulders. "Well, I'm just glad you're both alright. Let's eat, I know you both must be starving after such an intense day. The rest we can sort out later, after everyone's had a chance to calm down."

"Dinner's ready," Kasumi's voice sang from the kitchen. "I hope everyone's hungry.

Ranma hauled ass to the dinner table.

* * *

As dinner progressed, Ranma formally announced that he and Ryoga had finally put their pasts behind them. The fights would cease entirely, or so the two hoped. While they had teamed up against foes in the past, this was the first time either had actually gotten along with the other by choice, and it was a strange but welcomed sight indeed. This earned Ryoga and Ranma a hug from a very happy Akane.

Soun did a great impression of a water fountain to express his feelings on the news. "Wahhhhhhhhh! This is wonderful news! No more repair bills on my house! I can start saving for retirement again!"

Ranma, Ryoga, I'm so very proud of you both! I guess you two really do care about each other after all!" Kasumi smiled.

Nabiki observed the scene with a straight poker face and Genma was too busy stuffing his face to care about the situation.

Ranma then announced that he had invited Ryoga to stay at the house in his room. There was no objection, not even from Soun who was still crying, overjoyed that he could once again start to save the meager amount of money he collected instead of having to spend it on repairs. Everyone understood the dire situation that had bestowed their humble home and school. If it gave them a chance to win in the upcoming match, the Tendo household would do all it could to help them along.

After dinner, Ranma helped Ryoga lug his gear into his room then they bedded down early so they could get up at dawn the next morning. It had been an exhausting day with more than enough peril. Both were glad for the chance to relax in a secure environment and they both knew, with a sinking feeling, that such a peaceful night might be their last…

* * *

Ranma found he couldn't sleep. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remove the horrible image of the Warrior from his mind. The man's distorted voice ran through his mind over and over again, taunting him, whispering of a promised death. Sweat appeared on his forehead and his body started to shake involuntarily. He took a couple of deep breaths and ran a hand through his sopping wet hair.

_I'm scared,_ he realized, more than a little surprised. The Martial Arts were a huge part of his life, and had been since his days as a young baby. It was one of the few things he could depend on. The thought of losing the ability to practice his style of martial arts was even worse then the thought of losing his life.

He snarled at himself. _Why in the world did I make that stupid pact with that nut in the armor!? I'm risking everything! What if I lose? This guy is stronger than me! Losing again to him is a very likely possibility._

He gritted his teeth to keep from making a sound and waking the other occupants of the room. _Me and my dumb pride! Because of me, everyone is involved now, even Akane._

Sighing he stood up, allowing his anger to drain away like water down the drain. _Maybe workin' out a bit will help to clear my mind._

He carefully stepped over Ryoga as the boy snored gently. Exertion of the body was a great way to calm mind and soul and at the moment, Ranma was in dire need of inner peace. Throwing on a pair of black training pants, he padded towards the door, opening it as quietly as he could.

Silently, he tiptoed down the stairs, avoiding the creaky seventh step. He walked under the covered walkway that bridged the house to the dojo, breathing in the cool night air. Stepping up into the large training hall, he looked around at the solid wooden walls and moved into the center of the room. Taking a deep breath, he began his memorized routine, started off with a regular workout honed after years of practice. His fists cut through the air with deadly grace as he thought about the events of the day.

It wasn't enough. Even injured his endurance was far above that of normal boys his age. He increased the speed of his movements and soon he was covered in a fine sweat, moving past the pain in his limbs. He didn't slow down; he sped up, pushing his reflexes to the max. His movements grew more complex as his workout stretched out over an hour's time.

He performed a graceful, but clearly slow mid air flip, kicking out with his right and then left foot before he touched down gracefully, falling into a crouch. Around the room he leapt, attacking the air around him with punches and kicks, sounding out with an occasional grunt or battle cry but keeping his tone down so as to not wake the household.

Gasping for air, he finally decided to take a break. He didn't want to take things too far. He still had to try to rest up and mend his battered body. The workout had been a good one and had released the stress from his body. He felt much more relaxed, and stood atop a center of calm. His senses stretched out and he felt a presence tickle at the back of his mind. Wiping sweat from his face he adjusted his slightly damp tank top. "Come on out. I know your there."

Akane stepped away from her hiding spot behind the wall just outside the dojo doorway and grinned mischievously, the sharp yellow color of her P.j.'s contrasting greatly with the barren wooden walls of the dojo around them. "And just how did you know I was there?"

"I, uh, sensed you," he said, turning around to stare into her beautiful gray eyes.

"Sensed me? Ranma, your skills are really improving." She didn't attempt to hide how proud she was.

"Yeah but it isn't enough, at least not yet. This Shadow Warrior is still way out of my league. Its funny, I spent the last two years suffering through various enemies and events and it turns out those events made me stronger… which was the only reason that kept me alive today long enough for you to get us to safety. By all rights I should have died. But I'll tell you one thing, it was a big mistake that arrogant bastard made in letting us go, and he's going to come to regret it. I never fall for the same trick twice. Next time, things will be different."

"Your strong Ranma, and I believe in you," Akane whispered.

"I need to be stronger. How else am I going to protect my fiancée from-" He broke off his sentence and blushed when he realized what he had said. The words had just come out, as if his heart had taken over for his mind and spoken what lay buried beneath insecurity. It was too late to take the words back, and it was how he truly felt, so there was no need to deny it.

Giggling, she leaned forward. "I know you want to protect me, but you have to protect yourself first. I care for you, blockheaded as you can be. I might as well keep you around for a while."

"Gee, thanks."

She stepped up to him and blushed crimson. "I want to give you something. Something I gave you once before. We're alone," she said, scanning the room to make sure, "no need to hide anything right now."

"But we gotta' watch what we say and do around our families or else they'll try to run our lives. And that goes without saying what the jerks at school and around town would do if they saw us doing something weird."

"Do you find sharing affection weird, Ranma?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"N-no," he stammered.

"Then shut up."

She kissed him passionately and Ranma slowly found his body relaxing against her embrace, feeling her warmth under her clothing. He had never had any experience kissing a woman before, especially not like this. He suddenly felt her tongue wrestling with his and he found, to his excitement, that Akane could be quite aggressive when she allowed her emotions to think for her. Moaning deep in her throat, she clung tightly to him, letting her hunger for him take her by storm. She wrapped her arms around his back, melding her body against his own. It felt so right, so wonderful to just let go and not think about anything but the roar of emotion within them. Both of them so desperately needed this, needed each other.

Their kiss lingered, and intensified. For a few minutes they could be as they were meant to be, even if they still didn't completely realize it themselves. There were no interruptions this time, no celebrating parents, no Nabiki with her camera, just the two of them, martial artists releasing two years of pent up affection and love onto each other, leaving their breath ragged and their hearts racing.

But as with all things, an end must be found and Akane realized with great disappointment that if she continued things could very well go too far. Blushing, she broke the kiss at last and took his hand in her own. Moving to go sit against the far wall of the dojo the two sat down side by side.

"I'm sorry I was so forward," she said, smiling sheepishly. "It's just… its been a long day and you nearly died. I guess, I guess a part of my mind doesn't want to hold back anymore."

Ranma could only bob his head dumbly. His brain was still swimming in the sea of pleasure and excitement she had just introduced to his world with but one of her kisses. "No prob."

She looked him square in the eye and her playfulness toned down a notch. Ranma knew what she was going to inquire about even before she asked. He had prepared for this. Sitting down beside her, he waited for her to speak.

"Okay, Ranma, give. What happened today when you left to chase after Ryoga?

Ranma took a deep breath. There was no point in sugar coating the matter. She was as involved in this mess as they were. "The reason Ryoga ran away today was because he saw what happened between us today and it broke his heart. He loved you... and probably still does even though he'll never be able to tell you so. His shyness and my constant interfering always prevented it in the past."

Akane nodded silently. She finally understood why Ryoga had always acted so strange around her in the past. She mentally kicked herself for not figuring it out. "So that was why he was so upset today..."

Ranma continued. "He couldn't handle the fact that I had beaten him out for your affections and he lost his mind for a while. He tried to kill himself by jumpin' off of Furinkan. He was in so much mental anguish he thought killing himself was be the only answer. I think getting trashed so bad this afternoon and losing to me after he had trained so hard the other day when he came back from overseas was a factor too."

Akane's hand flew up to her mouth in horror. Tears fell freely from her eyes and dribbled down her cheeks. "Oh my god! He tried to _kill _himself!?" She began to sob in grief. This was all her fault! Because of her dense outlook at things, she had nearly lost a friend! Why hadn't she realized this before!? She had treated him so badly that afternoon after discovering his secret, had said so many things in her anger that she had not meant.

Ranma tried to calm her down. "Shhhh, I saved him. He's ok, he's ok. He's going to be just fine from now on."

He repeated the last line over and over until she gradually stopped crying. She buried her face into his chest. "Ranma, I..."

"'Sides, Akane, because of today, me n' Ryoga can finally get along and be friends. That's one good thing right?"

Akane smiled and wiped away the remaining tears from her eyes. "I'm glad you two are friends now, it really means a lot to me. When you used to fight, I always got so worried that one of you would really hurt the other. I still... oh, I'm so dense! Because of me, Ryoga almost took his own life!"

"Don't talk like that. Ryoga wasn't thinking properly at the time. It wasn't your fault."

Akane knew he was right and took several shuddering breaths until she had calmed down. "Thank you for saving him, Ranma. That took a lot of courage. You could have been dragged over the edge too."

"Well, that danger is gone now. We have a much more important threat to think about." A troubled look reappeared on his usually confident face and he looked away, scratching at his jaw line.

"You mean the fight with the Shadow Warrior?"

He nodded. "I'm concerned about that promise I made to him before we started fighting. It puts not only my future in jeopardy, but also the Anything Goes School. I honestly don't think we'll be able to beat this guy as we are now. I don't know what to do, but I know I have to do _something_, and fast. I feel defeated already! My future is clad in shadows, Akane. Its unseen, mysterious... and as far as I can tell, deadly too. Sometimes I really, really hate my ego. If it hadn't been for that, I would have thought my decision through first, before I answered. I shouldn't have let his words get to me. Now everything is working in his favor and he has us in the palm of his hand."

Akane sighed. "Ranma, don't ever think like that! Don't you remember what you told me this afternoon? You won't lose! Besides, you and Ryoga still have six days until the match. A lot could happen in that time. If you two train-"

Ranma shook his head. "Training ain't gonna' be enough this time. This guy knows our moves and our attacks. We need new moves that he can't match."

"Well, maybe Cologne will help."

Ranma's nod. "Yeah, either her or the Freak 'oughta know a new attack or two. I guess I should go see her tomorrow."

"You'll have to deal with Shampoo," she warned, rubbing her eyes. "What will you do?"

"I'll tell her the truth. I can't care for her the way she does for me and besides, I'm tiring of being chased around all the time like a thing to be owned."

Akane nodded and yawned as a wave of drowsiness consumed her suddenly. Her good, cleansing cry had left her drained. "I'm going to go back to bed, Ranma. Goodnight and sleep well." She smiled at him softly and walked back out of the dojo.

The kiss caused Ranma's lips to turn upwards, forming a goofy smile. Sleep sounded like a good idea. He'd need his strength to train with Ryoga in the morning and his body needed time to repair itself. Tip-toeing, he moved back into the house and up the stairs. All his worries seemed to disappear for the moment. He knew now that no matter what happened, Akane would always be there for him.

That meant more to him than anything else in the world.

* * *

Ryoga ran down a dark alley, his destination unclear and the path ahead unseen. Sweat poured down his face, soaking his clothes, stinging his eyes, blinding him. He turned his head to look back the way he had come. The sight behind him only encouraged his legs to run faster. His breath came swiftly from his mouth as he forced himself to go as fast as he could, pushing the limits of his endurance. Fear etched itself into his brain, because what was trailing him was more terrifying than anything else he had ever faced. Cutting down a side road, and then another, he stopped at a nearby traffic light, gasping for breath as the pale light surrounded him.

_I've lost him!_ He leaned against the light pole, letting the metal cool his skin. His shoulders slumped as he sagged with relief. He couldn't remember how long he had been running, but as a sense of safety filled him, he relaxed, taking time to catch his breath.

An iron-clad hand flung out from the darkness and secured itself around his head before the startled boy could react. Evil laughter rang out everywhere around him in concert as he was hoisted up off the ground by something with strength far from human. Ryoga struggled vainly, trying to give a muffled cry for help, but there was no one around, no one to hear him scream. All he saw were red, hideous eyes that belonged to a demon of hell, a man encased in impenetrable armor. He screamed again but the cry was cut short as his head was crushed in under the attacker's great strength, broken like the shell of a melon. His skull collapsed, destroying his brain, spraying blood in all directions. With lifeless eyes looking skyward as his head fell backwards, his broken body fell to the hard ground…

Screaming, Ryoga awoke from the nightmare, clutching his face with shaking hands. It took a while for him to come completely back to his senses, and he realized with no small sense of relief that it had all been a dream. He wiped his brow, removing the beads of sweat that had been clinging to his bangs. He tried to recall the nightmare but for some reason his mind was a blank. That was nothing unusual, he usually couldn't remember his dreams and in this case, he was glad. A cold chill gripped his flesh and he shivered, rubbing at the goose bumps on his arms.

He looked at the clock. _Three fifteen. Well, no hope of sleep for me right now. Maybe a bit of fresh air will do me some good. Hopefully it'll calm me down a bit._

He crept over Genma and Ranma and silently padded down the stairs. Opening the back door, he went out and sprawled out onto the soft grass. Stretching out, he felt more relaxed and thought of all the times he had camped out under the stars while he wandered the land.

He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. This was a safe, good home, and at least for the time being, there was no reason to remain timid over a nightmare he couldn't properly remember. Shaking his head, his mind started to ease.

_What a beautiful night._ He looked up at the stars again, feeling utterly insignificant compared to their colossal design. He decided to meditate as he often did during sleepless nights. He tried to join with the flow of nature and find tranquility, but his mind was still reeling from the day's events. As his eyes drifted slowly throughout the night sky, he felt an overwhelming sense of certain doom waiting in his future. He couldn't shake the horrible feeling; it latched onto him, sinking its fangs of despair into his very soul.

His face grimaced. _Was I insane!? Ryoga, how could you even think of taking your own life!?_ He savagely looked down at his hands, hands that were so strong and yet so weak at the same time. At the moment he hated himself, hated his stupidity. He hated the weakness that continued to plague his heart and soul. He didn't even have the right to call himself a martial artist.

_What was I thinking!? If Ranma hadn't rescued me…_

"Ryoga, are you alright?"

He sat up suddenly and turned to see Kasumi standing behind him, smiling thoughtfully. "Kasumi... what are you doing up at this time of night?"

She walked softly over to him, her bare feet squishing the grass beneath, and sat down, straightening her purple nightgown with delicate grace. "I couldn't sleep and I found myself thinking about my mother. She died when I was young, you see. Sometimes, when I start thinking about her, I have trouble sleeping. I suppose, even after all this time, I still miss her terribly."

"I'm sorry." Ryoga mentally kicked himself when he couldn't think of anything comforting to say. The words just wouldn't flow when he was so uptight. He shook his head in frustration. No. He wouldn't let emotional matters deadlock him anymore. It wasn't the way he wanted it to be. He didn't like being shy and now was as good a time as any to try and break it.

"I suppose that's natural… someone so important should be remembered and honored," he said, struggling to find words that held both wisdom and comfort for the older girl. "I suppose… being remember makes her happy."

Kasumi smiled softly. "She's in a much better place now, and that comforts me. Tell me, do you ever see your mother?"

Ryoga's face grew downcast. "Occasionally. My whole family has a horrible sense of direction too. I don't see any of them more than once or twice a year at best."

Kasumi nodded understandingly. "We can all relate to your loneliness. My family lost our mother and until recently, Ranma couldn't even see his."

Ryoga stared at her. "Why was that?"

"His father made an oath that if Ranma wasn't raised to be a man among men, they would both willingly commit seppuku. Mr. Saotome thought Ranma's curse made him unmanly, but he's so wrong. Ranma is a troubled boy but he has a good heart. His mother turned out to be so proud when she finally found out the truth. But we aren't here to talk about Ranma right now. What's wrong? You seem…. tense."

Ryoga sighed and shamefully told Kasumi about his attempted suicide. Kasumi listened politely, occasionally adding in an "oh my" when he came to a really awful part.

"I just... I don't know what I was thinking! I've never even thought of taking my life before. If it hadn't been for Ranma's help, I would be dead right now."

"Ryoga, you must never run away from your problems." She gently placed her arm on his shoulder and he found her skin was cool. "They only get worse that way if not for you then for those who love you. There is no shame in crying or feeling pain but they must be taken out in a positive way, not through damage to yourself or those you love. I know you love Akane, but to be perfectly honest, she's had an interest in Ranma long before you first came to Nerima. They don't fight all the time because they hate eachother; they fight to deal with their own insecurities. I guess you could say they're both very scared when it comes to love. Their getting better about dealing with each other every day, but they still have a long way to go."

There was silence for a moment save for the insects chirping around them. The cool night breeze rustled through their hair.

Ryoga's cast his gaze downward. "So, I never even had a chance. Akane was destined to be his all along and I spend two years of my life living on hopes and dreams."

Kasumi's look was sad but comforting. "Ryoga, for your sake and hers, give up on Akane. She cares for Ranma and nothing is going to change that. Besides, despite your shyness you really wouldn't have any trouble getting a nice girlfriend. You're very handsome, did you know that?"

"H-handsome? Me?!" Ryoga fidgeted with his fingers, blushed severely.

Kasumi held her pointer finger up. "I really think what Akane needs is a good friend. Would you be willing to fill that role?"

Ryoga nodded. "I'll be the best friend a person can be."

Kasumi's smile of gratitude was more than reward enough.

The conversation died down a moment and Ryoga lost himself in thought, listening to the insects chirping around them. Off in the distance a dog barked.

"You mentioned finding a girlfriend a second ago," he hesitated. "I uh... well, there is another girl I kinda' pictured myself with a couple of times… but she's in love with someone else. I mean, I never really _though _of me and her getting together, but we get along great and fight well together."

Kasumi smiled softly. "Don't give up hope. If you really like her and she isn't taken then its ok to tell her. You may be surprised with her response. Also, I want you to consider yourself a part of our family now. There are people here who care for you, remember that." She reached forward and gently kissed his cheek. "We had better get back to sleep or we won't want to get up in the morning."

Ryoga nodded and gracefully flipped to his feet. He quietly followed her into the house and up the stairs. He stopped in front of her door and faced her. "Kasumi, I..."

He grabbed her in a gentle hug, noticing for the first time that while she was tall, she was so much smaller than him. Her body felt so soft and tiny.

"Thank you for caring about me."

She hugged him back. "You are welcome, Ryoga. If you ever need to talk to someone, don't hesitate to come knocking. My door is always open. Goodnight." She went inside her room and gently shut the door.

Ryoga stood there a moment. Warmth spread through his body and he suddenly realized that he felt better then he had in a long time. He bowed to Kasumi's door, silently thanking her. Smiling, he padded softly back to Ranma's room. At last he felt like he had a place to call home. It was a place where he was needed and loved.

That meant more to him than anything else in the world.


	16. Clues Shadowed in Mystery

Chapter Fifteen: Clues Shadowed in Mystery.

Sunday mornings were reserved as a time of relaxation for students throughout the country since it was the only day they did not attend school. However, at the Tendo household, Ryoga and Ranma had no intention of sleeping in or relaxing. As their fists clashed near the koi pond under the early morning sun, Kasumi watched them spar with a measure of interest. As Ranma landed a particularly nasty blow, she winced_. That looks like it hurts._

Both Ranma and Ryoga's bodies were still aching from the beating they had received the day before. Even though the action was toned down, they made up for it with determination. Ranma's faster attacks kept Ryoga on his toes but his increased strength helped even the score. They had been going at it for two hour, far longer than their normal sparring matches usually lasted.

Ryoga leaned back, barely dodging one of Ranma fastest swings yet. "It's been a pretty good workout; how about we go out with a bang."

Ranma grinned. "Fine by me!" Seeing an opening, he swept Ryoga's legs out from under him. However in his haste to attack, he left himself open to one of Ryoga's punches which connected soundly with his face. Flailing off balance, the two fell into the pond, sending water and fish flying high into the early morning sky.

A loud cackle echoed around the yard as female Ranma dragged a sopping wet P-chan from the water. Craning her neck upwards, Ranma saw the source of the irritating noise and her face hardened in disgust. Happosai, the ancient midget master of the Anything Goes School stood on the stone wall that encircled the yard. Perched on his back was a huge sack that Ranma estimated at over ten feet tall. No doubt there would be many confused girls in America searching for their essential undergarments over the next few days.

"You've improved, m'boy." He took a puff from his thin tobacco pipe, nodding his head. "Though it looks like you've seen better days with the bruises all over your body and all."

Ranma shot him a withered look. "Yo' Gramps, back already?"

Happosai laughed again. "America is a holy land! Beautiful women flood the very streets. Why I even saw girls freely wearing skimpy outfits in some restaurant place called Hooters! It was truly a land of treasure." His eyes grew wide as he fondly recalled the memories.

Ranma rolled her eyes. "Good for you. If it was so good, why didn't you just _stay _there?"

Happi dropped his bag onto the ground and lumped onto her chest, squeezing it with delight. "Oh, what a sight for sore eyes! I could never forget about you... or your little dearies here! It's so good to be home! American girls are so different from Japanese girls. Not my style at all!"

Ranma decked the three hundred year old master into the stratosphere. Let me introduce you to _my_ style!"

She brushed herself off. "He's still as perverted as ever! P-chan oinked in agreement, folding his trotters and nodding his head.

Ranma held tight to the bandanna clad pig as she walked upstairs to take a bath, drained but feeling good after her workout. Filling the tub with hot water, she flung off her clothes with shameless abandon. P-chan averted his eyes, blushing. "Ok, Mr.P, in you go!"

She tossed the little pig into the water. Washing herself off with cold water, she cleaned her body, and then stepped in herself. The hot water activated her counter-curse properties and when she resurfaced her manhood restored itself to the way nature had originally intended. Back to a male as well, Ryoga leaned back, enjoying the heavenly feeling of hot water on his skin. They sat at opposite ends of the tub sighing with pleasure as the water loosened up their tense muscles. Nothing beat a cleansing bath after a spirited fight!

"Since the freak's back, I guess we should see if he knows anything about this shadow guy. Then, tomorrow, I'm going to the Neko Haunten to talk to the Ghoul," Ranma said.

"I'll go with you," Ryoga offered. Ranma nodded; he would have asked Ryoga to come even if the boy hadn't volunteered his aid. After he told Shampoo he didn't want her chasing after him he'd have to deal with Cologne and her wrath. It would be nice to have someone to guard his back when that happened.

A thought along those lines struck Ryoga like a lightning bolt. "What will you tell Shampoo? She won't like hearing that you're… with Akane and you won't be able to keep it from her for long."

"I'll tell her the truth," Ranma said. "She's got to accept the fact that Akane and I are… ya know… kinda together." He averted his eyes, mumbling the last part almost to himself. His eyes suddenly went serious. "Look Ryoga, I don't know what's going to happen between Akane and I but it needs to stay between us three. My dad and Mr. Tendo don't need to know nothing. OK?

"Fine. Hey, if you do tell Shampoo the truth then wont that mean Cologne won't help us," Ryoga pointed out.

Ranma sighed in exasperation. "I realize that, Ryoga. We'll just have to take our chances. We need her help if we're going to win this thing. I'm sure she'll understand once she realizes that our lives are on the line."

"We could just create two new attacks by ourselves," Ryoga pointed out.

Ranma shook his head. "That would take too long and neither of us have much practice in doing that sort of thing. We only got six days left until the match and we don't have time to experiment."

A wonderful aroma filled the house and Ranma's more primal instincts took command over his rational thought. "Come on, Ryoga!" He jumped out of the tub, forgetting about their conversation entirely. "It smells like Kasumi made something really delicious today!"

They dried off and dressed in their regular clothes before speeding eagerly downstairs. Everyone else was already at the table, waiting anxiously for another great meal. Seeing them enter the room, Akane jumped up and gave Ryoga a hug that just so happened to be a bit firmer than usual.

"Good morning, Ryoga!" She smiled brightly. Ryoga smiled back, showing his little side fangs. He sat down at the table next to Ranma, inhaling a delicious aroma that wet his mouth. Kasumi brought in breakfast and served the hungry group. She put down dishes at everyone's place except Ryoga's. He noticed this and quickly grew depressed. He wondered if this was her way of saying he was no longer wanted in their house. How could she do this to him after their talk the night before?! Had he misinterpreted what she had told him?

Suddenly, Akane set a dish down in front of him. The plate was filled with western style eggs, bacon, and toast. He looked up at Akane in confusion.

"Here you go, Ryoga," she said. "I made it myself!"

A look pure horror crossed Ranma and Ryoga's face.

"Don't worry, I used this." Her eyebrows knit in annoyance. In her hand was a half full bottled labeled 'Water of Life.'

Ryoga sighed in relief. He had heard of the water and its remarkable capabilities when he had stumbled on Ranma in the forest of Ryogenzawa. He grabbed a fork and impaled a piece of scrambled egg. He put it in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully.

Everyone, especially Akane, watched him intensely. Ranma shuttered and quickly muttered a small prayer for his brave friend. Ryoga chewed thoughtfully and swallowed and a look of absolute delight crept across his face. "Its delicious, Akane!"

Living on his own for so long, Ryoga fully appreciated the wonders of a home-cooked meal. To cook up a meal for his sake alone was an act of kindness he had never before known. Soun began to cry, flooding his plate of food. "My baby girl can cook at last! Wahhhhhhh!"

Kasumi smiled happily. "Well, isn't that nice Akane!"

Even Nabiki seemed surprised. "That must be some water!" She quickly calculated how much it would be worth on the calculator in her brain. Genma ignored the whole thing as he happily chewed on a stick of bamboo, growling happily.

Ryoga was wolfed down the rest of the food, shouting compliments left and right when a question suddenly popped into his head. "Why is she doing all this for me?" He asked Ranma.

"Maybe she's making up for being so dense these past two years," he whispered back.

"What do you mean?"

"Follow me, I'll tell you outside." They got up from the table and jumped out into the yard. When he was sure that they were beyond prying ears, Ranma turned to face Ryoga. "Last night, I told Akane everything."

Ryoga's face paled. "E-everything?"

"Yeah. I felt that she didn't need to be kept in the dark over anymore secrets. She even knows about your feelings for her."

Ryoga nodded. "Then this is her way of apologizing..."

"And showing her friendship at the same time," Ranma added.

Akane opened the screen door. "Hey, how long are you two going to stand out there?"

"We're coming now," Ranma called back. He turned back to face Ryoga but the boy was already moving past him to face Akane.

He bowed to her. "Thank you for the breakfast, Akane. I've rarely had such delicious food."

Akane bowed back. "I owed you. Besides, its the least I can do for a friend. You've always been there for me, and I haven't forgotten that."

At one time, Ryoga would have gotten depressed at the mention of 'only being a friend'. But now that the situation had changed, hearing her say that meant more to him than anything in the world. He grinned happily.

The regular routine of the Tendo household commenced as usual. During this time, Happosai added his over sea's haul to the already huge pile of underwear stocked in his room before going off on his regular panty raid, eagerly awaiting the chance to terrorize the pretty females of the city with his antics. During this time, Ryoga and Ranma trained, awaiting the midget master's return.

As the bright red sun slowly began to sink into the horizon, Happosai returned, cackling happily. The two boys hid behind the large plum tree in the backyard, waiting for the little pervert to come into range. When he ran by, Ranma jumped up and ripped Happosai's bag off his back and tossed it to Ryoga.

Happosai landed and whirled to face him, all two feet of his body going tense with anger. "You little traitor, what's the big idea!?"

"We've got a couple of questions to ask ya' Gramps. Give us any trouble and you'll regret it."

"Ha! You steal my precious collection and expect me to help you?! Fat chance!" He knocked Ranma into the recently repaired stonewall with a light tap from his pipe.

"Bakusai Tenketsu!" Ryoga tapped his finger into the ground and sent a shower of rocks whirling at the master from behind, effectively knocking him out cold. Ranma proceeded to tie the midget up then poked at him with a stick until his large eyes snapped open. The master quickly noticed he was lying between them and a small fire as he struggled to free himself from his bonds.

"Ok, listen up! You have two choices in this situation, old man. You can either help us out or we'll make you watch us burn your 'precious collection'. The choice is yours." Ranma cracked his knuckles threateningly.

Happosai's eyes narrowed and a tight grin tugged at his lips. "Ha! You wouldn't dare!"

Ryoga tossed a handful of bras into the fire. "Boy, these sure burn well!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! Stop! I'll help you, I'll help you! Don't hurt my darlings!" Happi strained against his bonds, wailing pitifully.

Ranma smirked. "That's more like it! Now listen up!" He told Happosai all about their fight with the mysterious Warrior and described his physical features and armor as best as he could recall.

"Hmmmmmm." Happosai thought for an endless moment after Ranma finished his tale. "I've heard of such a class of warrior before, but I've never seen one in person. This 'Shadow Warrior' is probably from China because the armor you described is only forged in the rural Western territories near Jusenkyo. I know that it is used by only a single tribe but I can't think of its name off hand. I do know that the armor is called Mazakin combat armor... if memory serves, that is. It's extremely flexible and stronger than steel. Only a person who has mastered at least three different styles of martial arts will be considered eligible for the training by the village elders.

"After these hardships, the trainee must pass numerous tests, both mental and physical. They require him to push his endurance and tolerance to the absolute limit. Once this is accomplished, the head elder will teach that person some sort of secret attack that I hear can steal part of person's memories. I don't know if this is true or not."

"It's true, Ryoga said."We saw him use stolen attacks first hand."

Happosai nodded. "But I don't know why he was going around challenging martial artists in the first place. Supposedly, a person who receives the Mazakin armor is required to stay in the village for the remainder of their lives to protect its citizens from harm. This Warrior must be some sort of renegade."

"He's a monster..." Ranma massaged his jaw line, remembering the pain the Warrior's fists had brought.

"We had no idea what we were up against! This guys is years beyond us in skill and energy projection." Anger filtered into Ryoga's voice and it was plain to see it was anger born of frustration.

Happosai looked up at Ranma with large, pleading eyes. "That's all I know. Will you untie me now? I gotta' go to the bathroom!"

Ranma nodded and untied the old man's binds while Ryoga stomped out the fire. Freed at last, Happi sped over to the remains of his night's haul and gathered them back into his bag.

While high-tailing his way towards the house, he tossed back two of his dreaded "Happo Fire Bursts" at them. "No hard feelings boys! Hahahahahahah!"

An explosion rang out, temporarily enveloping the yard in a dome of fire and light. Singed and highly pissed off, the two boys made their way up to Ranma room, uttering curses and promises of death to the midget master.


	17. An Unlikely Winner!

Chapter Sixteen: An Unlikely Winner?!

"Just hang out around here today, Ryoga. I'll come pick you up so we can visit the Neko Haunten after school." Grabbing his school bag, Ranma dashed for the door snatching up his lunch from Kasumi as he passed, nodding his head in appreciation.

Monday had come around again and it was time to go back to school after the weekend. Late as usual, Ranma, Akane, and Nabiki ran out the front gate, disturbing a family of doves who had been pecking at crumbs on the street. Smiling at Akane, Ranma winked and heard her stifle a giggle in return. Such a simple, pleasant sound sure beat facing her temper first thing in the morning and it had the wonderful ability to put him in a good mood and almost made him forget his problems.

Nabiki rolled her eyes and kept running. They had masked their feelings for each other from everyone but her, and she didn't like the way things were progressing one bit. Their damn relationship was affecting her profits all across the board. If there was one thing she hated, it was losing money. First she had lost a great deal from the betting pool during the fight with that Shadow guy and ever since then Ranma and Akane had been too preoccupied with each other to partake in their normal antics that usually generated her so much cash.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. It wasn't that she didn't like Ranma, dumb as he was. He was amusing and heroic, and she did admire that, but nothing came between her and her money! Something had to be done, that was for sure. Nabiki Tendo didn't lose out to anyone, not even her own family. If Ranma and Akane weren't going to be good and earn her cash, then she'd just have to find another way. Turning her eyes back to the road as she ran, the wheels in her head turned on as she schemed and plotted against the luckless pigtailed boy.

As good a mood as he was in, and as much as he tried to ignore it, a great feeling of dread was pressing down on his shoulders. It constantly reminded him that in a few days time, he could possibly cease to exist. The only reason he went to school at all anymore was to keep Akane happy. The more normal things stayed, the happier she'd be. That was all that mattered to him at the present time. If it was his destiny to fall in battle then he wanted to enjoy her company for as long as he still could.

Despite how bleak he felt, his warrior pride kept him from giving up. He was used to training in quick sessions to defeat opponents and with the aide of Ryoga, the battle could very well go in their favor the next time. They had to find an edge first, or else all their attacks would fail, just as they had before. The Shadow Warrior was a new breed of fighter so, logically, it would take a new breed of attacks to compensate for his tremendous and horrifying power. If they couldn't break his limits, they would surely meet their end in no time…

* * *

As the day progressed, Ryoga decided to aid Kasumi in her household chores since he was sick and tired of being bored out of his mind. The sheer amount of work she accomplished each day amazed him. How could a woman who worked nonstop all day stay so happy and energized all the time? She stayed busy all day, working without a break and never tiring. If that wasn't endurance, he didn't know what was! His admiration for her household skills knew no bounds. Grateful for his help, Kasumi gave him a kiss on the cheek as a reward. He blushed and rushed off to take out the trash, awaiting Ranma's return.

After an extremely long day, Ranma came home to pick up Ryoga. Moments later the two were running off to find Cologne and hopefully, a shot at victory. They traveled across the city, bounding from rooftop to rooftop, moving above the crowded streets with more stamina and agility than even an Olympic athlete could hope to possess. The curious masses stared up at them in wonder while some of the older occupants just ignored the spectacle, they had been living in Nerima long enough and become accustom to the effects of Ranma's crazy life.

Seeing his destination in sight, Ranma dropped to the ground, narrowly missing a nearby trashcan. A stray dog yelped and bolted out into the open street, dropping the bone he had stolen from the trash receptacle. Walking to the front door, Ranma took a deep, relaxing breath before entering. A cheerful bell chime welcomed them in, ringing throughout the restaurant. Ranma immediately noticed the place was nearly deserted of costumers. The dinner crowd wouldn't start to emerge for a few hours more, giving the three Amazon owners a bit of downtime to relax. He'd come at just the right time.

Shampoo looked up from the table she was buffing and cried out happily, flinging herself at Ranma with glee. "Nihao! Ranma! You come to see Shampoo!"

"Shampoo, not now!" Ranma peeled the girl off of him and set her back down on her own two feet. A week ago he wouldn't have felt such a large rise in annoyance but since his battle everything had changed. Shampoo and his other suitors would just have to learn to accept the fact that things were changing. He might not tell them about Akane and himself, but most of them were smart enough to guess at it anyways.

"We're here to talk to the old woman," Ryoga supplied.

Shampoo blinked. "What Pig-Boy do here? Shampoo thought Ranma hate Ryoga."

Ryoga bristled at the insulting name but bit back a remark. He jammed his hands into his pockets and calmed himself, busying himself by looking around the restaurant. He had never cared much for Shampoo or her personality even though she and he were similar in some aspects, until recently. Shampoo was a thorn in Akane's side which was bad enough, but it became even worse when the Amazon's past schemes had to involve him as well. She was far too aggressive, stuck up in her ways, and coldhearted for his taste. If that was the results of a female dominate society, he didn't want to live within a thousand miles of the Amazon village.

"We've, uh, settled our differences. Is the old Ghoul here?" Ranma stepped past her, peering into the kitchen area.

Shampoo shook her head, her purple locks swinging. "Great-Grandmother out on business. She be back soon. Here, you sit and wait. I go make you and Pig-Boy free Ramen!" She pushed him into a chair none to softly. If there was one thing she knew about Ranma, the fastest way to his heart was definitely through his stomach. She bounded into the kitchen, happily singing an old Chinese tune as she readied her cooking tools.

"I wish she'd stop calling me a pig," Ryoga muttered, flexing his hand into a fist.

Emerging from the restroom with a broom in hand, Mousse spotted Ranma and instantly flung several sharp ended chains out of reflex alone. Ryoga casually blocked the attack with his opened umbrella and sighed in exasperation, cupping his chin with his hand.

"What are you doing here, Saotome?! It's bad enough you seduce Shampoo around town using your dark magic, but to enter my place of work and pull your normal stunts is an intolerable insult!"

Ranma sighed. "You know, its funny but I always thought you were the master of dark magic, Mousse. Anyways, were here to see the Ghoul, not Shampoo."

Mousse pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose only to have them fall back down seconds later. "You're not here to see Shampoo?"

"Nope."

"I don't believe you!"

Ranma shrugged slightly. "I don't care if you believe me or not, I won't lose any sleep over it. Making Shampoo has never been a goal of mine. Ask Ryoga if you want."

"Is what he says the truth?" Mousse whirled to face an empty chair.

"Yeah, it's true. Turn around Mousse, I'm over here." Ryoga rolled his eyes.

"In light of this, I retract my ill-worded statements. Ryoga's word is good enough for me." Mousse sat down beside Ranma, his hands disappearing back into the confines of his robes.

Ranma wrapped his arm around Mousse's neck and pulled him in close. "Listen man, I don't love Shampoo. As far as I'm concerned, you can have her! I'm dead serious! In fact I'll make you a deal, ok? Keep the Ghoul from interfering with my life and I'll stay away from Shampoo as much as I can."

Mousse's grin knew no bounds. "It's a deal! If there's one thing I'm good at its being a thorn in her side." He shook Ranma's hand vigorously, nearly pulling his rival's arm from his socket in the midst of his enthusiasm.

Shampoo reemerged from the hot kitchen with two piping hot bowls of Ramen and set them down in front of her guests. Grabbing Mousse by his collar, she pulled him off the seat and dumped him into the ground before moving to sit beside Ranma. She played with his pigtail as he ate, purring softly into his ear and sending pleasurable shivers down his spine. "What boy's talking about?"

It was so hard sometimes to not be turned on by Shampoo's advances. Of all the girls who wanted to be with him, Shampoo was the most open, and knew how to entice him with her body and words. The aggressiveness she'd used to try and win him over despite constant defeat over the last two years simply astounded him. He couldn't deny that she was sexy and possessed a stunning figure, but his heart had gone to Akane, and none of the Amazon laws were ever going to change that

"Uhhh, nothing, Shampoo, just guy talk and all that..." Ranma put his hand behind his head and laughed until he saw Ryoga's facial expression and realized he wasn't fooling anyone. Shampoo tried to wrap her arm around his waist but he skillfully moved to intercept her hand and placed it back on the top of the table. He started a long group conversation, distracting the girl from any further romantic attempts. As he sat there, he realized that the crafty Amazon was going to find out which girl he had chosen sooner or later and when she did, she was going to fall hard. The thought of hurting his friend drove pain into his heart but he couldn't find another solution.

"This is indeed an odd get together," A raspy voice said, interrupting their small talk. The familiar sound of a wooden stick tapping on the tiled floor signaled the arrival of Cologne, the ancient leader of the Amazon tribe. Blinking, she hopped into the room like a monkey on a pogo stick. Ancient and powerful she had proved to both be a powerful ally and a stunning opponent over that last several years. As much as he didn't like some of her personality traits and methods, he couldn't deny the fact that without her help in the past, he wouldn't be as powerful as he was today.

"Hey, old Ghoul," Ranma waved her over.

Cologne's eyes narrowed. "Hello, future son-in-law. What brings you here?"

"We'd like to talk to you in private," Ranma said, motioning to Ryoga and himself.

Cologne nodded. "Very well, the back room will suffice. Shampoo, Mousse, prepare the restaurant for the dinner crowd. I want all the tables set by the time I come out."

The purpled haired beauty gave Ranma a wink then walked off to perform her duties as they moved into the next room. He was grateful for the noise Shampoo and Mousse were making, the less people that knew of his troubles, the better.

Cologne shut the door to the supply room behind her. "Now, future son-in-law, what's the matter? You never come to see me unless you need something."

"Me n' Ryoga... that is... we... um...," his voice dropped down to a whisper, "we... got beat up."

Cologne cocked her head. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"

"We... got beat..."

She leaned forward. "What? I didn't hear that last part."

"We. Got. Beat. Up."

"What!? Speak up, I can't hear a word your saying!" she snapped.

"We got our asses kicked in a fight!" Ranma flushed red. "He mopped the floor with us, nearly killed both of us twice, and pounded us black and blue! Ok!? Can you hear me now?!"

"Oh. I see. Quite a humbling experience for you wasn't it? Just the sort of thing you needed if you ask me." Cologne used her staff to scratch at an itch on her back. "Who in particular committed such a brutal assault?"

"Some weird guy with freaky combat armor. Happosai told us that it was called Mazakin battle armor, or whatever, and its wearer was Chinese. Was he telling the truth?"

Cologne nodded. "Yes. I too have heard of this armor. I also understand why you lost. A person wearing Mazakin armor is an elite warrior whose training consists of nothing but deadly trials. In battle the wearer is nearly unbeatable and for good reason. He is a protector of lives, living for the sake of his people and dying for them if necessary. A true powerhouse in ever sense of the word."

"So we noticed," Ryoga muttered, folding his arms.

"You ain't kiddin', Ghoul. This guy's power was incredible! He took me, then Ryoga, then both of us teamed up and he still had energy to spare!"

"I felt a powerful battle aura materialize several days ago and at last its origin is explained. Son-in-law, I wouldn't tangle with him again if I were you. The fact that your still alive is both a mystery and a miracle. He's years beyond you in skill level. It isn't another match you can simply overcome like all the other's you've been involved in."

"I have no choice. I've got to fight him or I put the Tendo's at risk. If you could teach me some new attack, I could turn the tables. That's why we came to see you."

Cologne sighed. "No, son-in-law, I cannot help you. I've showed you all the techniques I know that you are capable of learning at this stage of life. The problem here is not that your attacks are worthless, they just aren't strong enough to do any good against his armor and Ki defense. You must practice harnessing more energy than ever before. Remember, even an opponent who knows and expects your attacks can be thwarted when enough power and determination are applied. Train as though your life depends on it."

"Actually, it does." Ryoga stood to go.

She looked up at him. "Good, then you have that extra motivation to train with."

"Yeah, well, thanks anyways, Ghoul. We appreciate it."

"Anytime, son-in-law. Shampoo can't marry you if your dead now can she?" Her sharp cackle filled the room.

As they exited the room, Shampoo sped towards them and latched onto Ranma. "You stay for dinner, yes? Is only natural for fiancé' to spend time with Shampoo."

Something inside of Ranma snapped and he pushed her off of him, towards the opposite wall. Thing's had gone on long enough! The moment had arrived where he set her straight and if he didn't stop the continual cycle while he still could, he'd certainly come to regret it later. "No, Shampoo! You can't keep doing this!"

His face set in grim determination. Ryoga leaned back and watched on, wisely staying out of things. Shampoo took a hesitant step backwards. Where had that outburst come from? Ranma had almost never snapped at her like that before. Confusion filled her voice. "What matter, Ranma?"

He shut his eyes and groaned. "Look, Shampoo, this isn't easy for me to say but... I can't, no, I don't _want _to marry you. I'm not your fiancé. I'm just your friend. That's all I'll ever be. I'm sorry if it isn't good enough but… "

"But the laws-" She began to protest.

"They never had any control on my life," Ranma interrupted. "Not only am I not an Amazon, I'm not even Chinese. Hell, I didn't even _like _China when I was there. I'm sorry, but you need to accept the facts. I can't provide the love you want. Its time you got over me."

Shampoo brought her hand to her mouth as shock gripped her. The look of pain cut deep into Ranma's soul and he almost found it impossible to meet her gaze. Perhaps he had put it a bit too bluntly but it was too late to worry about all that now. He had finally come out and spoken his true feelings. A part of him felt like he was released of a tremendous burden that had been struggling to reveal itself for far too long. It would have been a good feeling if only Shampoo would have stopped staring at him with such pain filled eyes.

He put his hand on her shoulder, attempting to bring her down a bit easier. "I like you as a friend, Shampoo. I just don't love you the way you love me. I'm sorry, it's… I..."

"No say it!" Shampoo screamed, clenching her hands into tight fists at her sides. She shrank out of his grasp, moving to stand against the wall. "I no can take it! It hurts deep in Shampoo heart! Don't say you love Akane... I no can take it!" She burst into tears, nearly shattering Ranma's resolve. She fell to one knee as her sobs took hold, nearly robbing her of understandable speech. Molten tears stained her soft cheeks and she clutched her head, shaking terribly.

Ranma winced. "Shampoo…I…"

"Shampoo always known Ranma love Akane. But why not Shampoo, Ranma? I never even had chance! Why isn't Shampoo good enough to love?! Where did Shampoo go wrong? Tell! Is Shampoo so terrible?! I stay in this country for two year, give you all my attention and affection, cook, chase you, and for what!? What it all for!? Why can't you love Shampoo?!"

Ranma sighed, turning away from her. "I'm sorry. I've hurt you. If I had been a real man, I would have said so in the first place instead of letting you cling to me all this time and build your hopes up. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

The door behind them slammed over with angry force. A very pissed off Cologne glared up at him, pushing Ryoga roughly aside. "Ranma, you will marry Shampoo! Do you understand me? You have no choice in the matter! You will abide by our laws!"

"He isn't required to if I beat him, old woman!"

All four of them whirled around to see Mousse leaning up against the wall, smiling smugly. "You forgot that rule. How very convenient. If I manage to beat him, then Shampoo's claim on him is void. That is also a part of the laws. I know you, I know you like to pick and chose which parts of our laws to follow. Not this time. This time, things will be done right!"

"Stay out of this, Mousse!" Cologne's face tightened with great anger.

"No!" Mousse bellowed. "It has finally been proven! He has no love for Shampoo. I do! I will not stand silent any longer! Ranma Saotome, I challenge you for Shampoo's hand!"

Ranma had little choice but to accept the challenge. While he admired Mousse's resolve and devotion to Shampoo, his warrior's nature wouldn't allow him to just throw the fight. If Mousse wanted to win so badly, he'd have to earn his victory. He never just threw a fight away, no matter what the circumstances. Mousse didn't care, he was as determined as ever to have Shampoo as his prize, and he'd risk life and limb to get her.

The small group went out behind the rear of the restaurant for the match. Mousse and Ranma squared off, warming up and stretching their muscles and joints, measuring each other up. When they signaled to each other that they were ready and the fight began, Mousse attacked with greater skill then he had shown in quite some time. His punches flew true, probably due to his determination alone because his eyesight would have otherwise negated that. He knew, as did everyone present, that this fight would be his last chance to win Shampoo over. The passion he put into his attacks stunned Ranma, and nearly brought the fight to a premature conclusion.

But for all his willpower, Mousse still wasn't as skilled as Ranma and perhaps, never would be. As the two danced across the ground, the odds quickly shifted in Ranma's favor. Mousse's face and torso received the pummeling of a lifetime, throwing off his coordination and diminishing his ability to launch counter-offensives. Ranma's foot clipped Mousse's chin, throwing him down to the ground onto his side. Mousse rolled onto his back and flipped to his feet, ready to keep fighting, but he appeared winded and tired. Ranma's attacks sapped far too much of his strength.

It seemed Ranma would be the sound champion once again.

Cologne smiled. _Ha! My son-in-law's pride betrays him! He could never purposely lose a fight, not even in a situation such as this! His words will have been for nothing. Amazon laws cannot be refused!_

Crying out in pain, Mousse fell to the ground again as Ranma's fist imbedded itself into his stomach but he quickly staggered to his feet, eager for more punishment. He threw all sorts of chains, knives and other tools but none even came close to hitting the mark. Ranma had witnessed all his attacks already, and as such, he was prepared. No matter how hard Mousse fought, nothing he did turned the fight in his favor. He gritted his teeth in frustration.

Sighing, Ryoga looked down at his feet, unable to watch the beating continue. As he gazed down at his shoes, an idea formed in his mind that caused his mouth to turn up in a mischievous smile. If he could pull it off, Ranma would either end up punching him or thanking him later. Either way, Mousse deserved a bit of happiness, idiotic as he was, and Ryoga was going to give it to him.

As the one-sided fight continued, Ranma and Mousse drew in closer to the sidelines. As Ranma rushed past to deliver a devastating punch, Ryoga stuck out his foot, tripping his eager friend. Just as quickly, he pulled his foot back, so the two Amazons beside him wouldn't notice what he had done. It was still a risk, and with speed as great as hers, Cologne might have noticed and called off the fight. To his relief, Shampoo and Cologne didn't notice the act of fowl play.

He grinned wickedly. _You'll thank me for this someday, Ranma._

Ranma lost his balance completely and fell forward, hitting his head on Mousse's knee. Almost immediately, a super huge knot appeared on his forehead. Sure it was a cheap and lame way to win a battle, but it was the only way to end the circle of madness that had taken Ranma's life by storm for two years, Ryoga reasoned as he struggled to hide his grin.

But somehow Ranma staggered and managed to stay on his feet, albeit totally off balance and Ryoga's expression dimmed. Mousse wasn't the quickest witted individual in the world, but he knew an opportunity when it presented itself. He didn't pass up the chance to take his victory this time, and Ryoga breathed a sigh of relief as the boy pounced on Ranma, delivering several sound punches, finally taking his rival completely under. Ranma's prone body hit the ground and he lay in a daze, staring up at the sky.

Ryoga motioned to Mousse who looked at Ranma's twitching body then to his fist, and back again, in bewilderment. "Looks as if Mousse won!"

Cologne and Shampoo stared in wide-eyed shock, not completely comprehending what had just happened. Realization dawned on Cologne and her jaw hit the ground. All her dreams of pairing Shampoo with Ranma crumbled and faded to dust. If possible, she seemed to shrink even further in stature. "Impossible!"

Stepping forward with an unreadable face, Shampoo bowed in honor of Mousse's victory allowing her hair to shield her face. "Victory go to Mousse. By laws of tribe, Ranma is now released from his obligation… to marry Shampoo."

She choked out the last part in the form of a half sob. Sad as she was, Ryoga knew it would bring happiness to her later on. No longer did she have to compete with the other women for the affection of one who didn't love her, no longer did she have to waste her time scheming of ways to win him over. She would be free at last, and best of all, she hadn't failed her clan or brought shame to her family name.

Ryoga smiled slightly. Things were better this way. He picked Ranma up in a fireman's carry. "Your getting soft, Ranma! One small bump on the noggin' and the lights go out."

Mousse blinked once, then, as the realization that he had just won a major victory spread to his head, a massive smile appeared on his face. "I did it... I did it! Shampoo, you can be mine now!"

Shampoo wiped her eyes and fixed him with a bored expression. "Stupid, you have to beat Shampoo first! I think you no going to find that easy thing to do!"

"Yes, well, we'll be going now. Thanks for the ramen."

Things had been made right at last. Satisfied, Ryoga left the restaurant, carrying Ranma on his shoulder down the busy Nerima streets. Heading down the road he thought lead to the Dojo, he failed to realize he was heading in the completely wrong direction. It wasn't until hours later that Ryoga realized Ranma still hadn't stirred. _He must have gotten hit harder than I thought._

There was nothing to do but keep walking. By luck, he found himself heading up a tall, curving mountain pass, the familiar trail that led to his mountain cabin_. It sure is funny how I always end up in the places I'd least expect to find._

Throwing the door to his cabin open, he set the comatose boy down on his small bed then searched around for something to eat. He found some instant ramen in his bag and proceeded to heat up some water on his portable stove. His stomach grumbled. Traveling by foot always made him hungry especially when he had to carry extra baggage.

At last Ranma groaned and stirred. Sitting up, he shook his head, trying vainly to clear away the cobwebs covering his mind. "W-what happened?"

"Mousse beat you... with a little help from me of course. You nearly blew your only chance to get rid of an excess fiancée'! What were you thinking, you idiot?"

Ranma gently rubbed his aching head. "For being such a gullible person, you sure as hell can't talk. I don't know weather I should thank you or kill you for tripping me."

"Worry about that later, Ranma. We have a problem." He opened the cup ramen and poured the hot water into it.

"And what's that?"

"Well, um... I kinda' got us lost while you paid a trip to La La land."

Ranma groaned. "Great, just great! That's the icing on the cake! The last piece of straw! The last soggy Ramen noodle! Why didn't you just have Mousse or Shampoo take us home?!"

"Shampoo wouldn't have helped us after you dumped her and Mousse was too exhausted. Besides, it isn't all that bad. We're at my cabin in the mountains. You know, the one near where I learned the Bakusai Tenketsu."

Ranma's face lit up. We can get home before dark if we hurry! We'll just have to catch the train."

Ryoga tossed Ranma a spare cup of ramen. "Eat this. It'll help keep your strength up. I don't want to have to carry you again."

Ranma glared daggers. "I'm not a weaklin', Ryoga! I can take care of myself!" He quickly stuffed his face, instantly feeling refreshed. "Let's get going!"

Ryoga nodded. "We've got a lot of training to do over the next couple of days. The sooner we get on with it, the greater our chances become for survival. As it stands right now, we're screwed."

Ranma shot him a dirty look. "Optimistic as always I see."

Ryoga held up his finger. "Realistic. There's a difference."

The two started on their long walk home. It was a long and trek to make due to the impending darkness. The train made good speed and they rested their bodies. They made it through the doorway at slightly past midnight and quietly staggered upstairs, treading carefully as to not wake up the household. Ranma went to bed immediately, but Ryoga slipped out the window to go sit on the roof and think for a while. He stretched out on a blanket he had taken up with him, kicked off his shoes and laying back with his hands behind his head. The canopy of stars opened up before him and he sighed with contentment.

Ryoga thought again about his situation. _A foe with a grudge against Ranma is nothing new. A foe with the power to level Tokyo is another matter. He didn't have any distinctive weaknesses to speak of and he's definitely more than a match for us both. If I could get in close, I could probably shatter his armor with the Breaking Point, but with the long range attacks he uses all the time, that could be really hard. But it's our only shot. The only way to defeat him is to get rid of his armor, I'm certain of that much._

Ryoga listened as a distant train passed in the distance, sending dogs throughout the neighborhood into a barking frenzy. Despite all else, he couldn't help but grin at the irony of the situation. _A technique that destroys may be our only shot at life._

Closing his eyes, he fell asleep on the roof, allowing the soothing night air to carry him to sleep.


	18. Passing The Time

Chapter Seventeen: Passing the Time

The Shadow Warrior materialized with a brilliant flash atop a small office building, casting off his ki cloak with a slight flicker of his hand. Below him, a high class hotel advertised discounts on rooms for some ancient battle armor collector's group committee which met in Tokyo once a year. The rumors he had heard on the street hadn't been exaggerations. This would work perfectly for his cover.

He chuckled at his good fortune. _What better place to blend in? The collectors association is such a large group that I can fit in with little difficulty. I even have my own armor to show off to further my temporary disguise. None of Ranma's friends even care about boring things like armor with their busy school lives and petty family affairs. There is no chance of me being detected here. This is a perfect plan!_

He stripped off his armor and placed it in a reinforced case then dressed in a casual dress suit he had stolen earlier in the day from a nearby department store. His great strength enabled him to easy pick up the heavy bundle with little problem. He concentrated his power and teleported himself down a side alley away from the view of the populous. His actions scared a stray cat that hissed, running down the alleyway to safety. Brushing himself off with his free hand, He walked into the front lobby of the hotel, passing a few bills to an attendant and signaled tha the armored case containing the armor was to be brought inside. He scanned the hotela as he walked inside, noting its splendor but finding nothing appealing in its decadent interior. He just wasn't a fan of art and subtle expression. If he wanted to express, he just used his fist.

"May I help you?" The check-in attendant seemed bored as the Warrior approached the check-in desk. The boredom her job created was probably killing her motivation. This made him glad, more so than ever, that he was a martial artist. The mundane existence that the regular population of the world endured would never suit him. People such as this attendant were less than he was, less worthy of existing. A person that did not define their existence and challenge the laws of nature itself didn't deserve the mantle of humanity. Such people sickened him, really.

He smiled with false enthusiasm, flashing a smile. "Yes, I'm a member of the Armor Collector's Group. I've just arrived in Tokyo and I'd like to get a room for the next couple of days."

"May I see your collector's card please?"

He laughed with a measure of faked cheerfulness that he hoped was believable. It probably wouldn't matter either way, this person was far from observant. "I'm sorry; I seem to have lost my card at the airport along with one of my bags. I was invited by the new director of the committee, you see. I have my own armor to show off at this year's convention." He opened his bag and displayed his armor.

The attendant held a look on her face that showed she couldn't have cared less. With plodding deliberation she checked her computer for a vacancy within the vast expanses of the hotel. He wondered how the hotel managed to stay in business with such deadheaded staff running it. "Very well sir. I've got a room open on the second floor, B-14. It's a suite, so it'll be a bit more expensive I'm afraid."

"Money isn't a problem. I'll take it."

* * *

After he placed his few meager articles of clothing away in his room and unpacked the remainder of his gear, he decided to mingle a little to better help his disguise. Borrowing an extra viewing case from the lobby, he arranged his armor like the other collectors did, mirroring their displays to better fit in. His armor still had the dents and cracks given to it by Ranma and Ryoga, and as such, looked far older than it actually was. In actuality, he couldn't care less weather people noticed his display or not. The fewer people he had to actually interact with, the better. He would fight Ranma again in a few days and then he would be gone from this pathetic place. He wasn't in the mood to make new friends. Things were as simple as that and life was always better in its simplest form.

He immediately regretted his decision to make an appearance as boredom set in. He held no true interest in battle armor other than his own, which was immensely superior to any on display in the area of craftsmanship. He quickly tired of looking around at the crafted metal antiques and replicas that decorated the hall. The place was infested with losers who strove only to gain recognition and ego boosts by showing off ancient pieces of metal they had no clue how to handle or wear. Such petty citizens annoyed him to no end.

He was just about to gather up his armor and take it back upstairs when a short man in a black business suit approached his display. Adjusting his thin framed glasses, he studied the Shadow Warrior's armor with interest, flashing a million dollar smile. The Warrior folded his arms, watching the man with a small measure of interest. At least this peon knew good armor quality when he saw it.

The Japanese buisness man threw his arms out wide with admiration as he turned to face the younger man. "Impressive, most impressive! In all my years of studying ancient Oriental and European armor, I've never seen anything like this before. Are you a new member of the group?"

He nodded. "Yes, I've only been with the group for about a year. I'm… Shiro Furisaki." He held out his hand and issued out another faked smile. Inside he wanted to vomit. "And you are?"

The buisness man took the offered hand. "Miyamoto Sagisu. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Furisaki. Would you like to discuss the history of your exquisite armor over a drink at the bar? It will be my treat of course. Fellow collectors with such fascinating armor easily earn my respect."

The Warrior sighed inwardly. _It's all a means to an end. In a few days I'll leave this damn city behind once and for all. Until then, I have to pretend that this fool is worth my time._

Pep talk concluded, he put on what he hoped was a convincing smile. "Certainly, I'd love to."

* * *

For the rest of the afternoon he found himself having to play the part of the friendly collector with Mr. Sagisu. He found to his distain that the shorter man never shut up once a vonversation related to historical significange came about. The Warrior never knew such a boring person existed and painfully endured hours of hours of chatting with the man at the bar, making up lies about the history of his own armor to quell the fool's interests.

Worse still, the more Sake' the annoying man consumed, the more questions he asked.

He'd finally managed to find an excuse to rush his armor back to his room a few hours later, mentally exhausted and thoroughly disgusted with his new 'friend' and the way the day had progressed. Frustration took hold and he wanted to howl. No, he wanted to _break _something!

Sitting down on his bed he contemplated the shallow minds of the men still associating in the halls below his room. _Such pathetic fools._ _To stay around people like this almost sullies my honor. How can they travel through life without viewing the entire picture? Perhaps ignorance really is bliss. Either way, it shows that I am indeed a better man than most. At least I have goals and ambition. These men probably haven't felt anything similar since they were children! But enough of that. It's time to go back to work._

Flexing his hand, an orb of nearly transparent energy appeared in his palm, pulsing rhythmically with his own heartbeat. Stretching out with his mind, he settled into a deep mind set, submerging himself within the flow of energy that coursed through his body. "Show me Ranma Saotome."

The orb flashed once and he saw the Tendo house appear, a place he hadn't visited in a very long time and certainly would be if Akane Tendo failed to deliver his message. The backyard appeared, revealing Ranma who was training against Ryoga. Impressive as the two were in battle, the training wasn't severe enough to help them improve their skills in the slightest. They would need another edge to win the battle against him, and it looked as if there was no danger in them finding it.

Watching on, a slight smile touched his lips. _Nothing's changed, I can sense it. Ranma's wasting the free week I've given him on lower level training. How foolish! My skill will surely carry the day, just as it did before. It would seem I have nothing to fear. Never-the-less, this time I won't hold back at all. _

He was disappointed about the upcoming battle. The fun of combat stemmed from the adrenaline rush, from the danger of losing and cheating death itself. Since the upcoming fight would certainly bode the same as it had before, he wouldn't toy around with such a worthless opponent a second longer than necessary. Surely there wouldn't be any fun in further kicking the crap out of such worthless foes.

Well, no matter. A victory was still a victory. His sour mood vanished. Dissipating the orb, he allowed a chuckle to escape his upturned lips. With his power and his armor, nothing could stop him… not even the very gods!

"This time, it's for keeps! There is no escape, or survival for those two. In a few days time, things change for good. I have many attacks at my disposal, and a few I can use as backups in case anything starts to go wrong. Heh, my chances of losing are nonexistent!"

The phone rang, startling him. Answering it he instantly knew who it was and cringed visibly.

"Mr. Furisaki, some new pieces of collectable armor just came in with a new group from Europe. Would you care to join a few associates of mine for lunch and review the history of these new samples?"

_Oh, how I wish I could kill him!_ "Certainly, that sounds exciting. What's that? Tomorrow at three? Splendid. Yes... Ok, I'll see you tomorrow. Goodbye."

The Warrior bit off an aggravated scream and appeased his frustration by tearing a pillow to shreds.

* * *

"Quickly Sasuke, there are many pieces yet to admire," Tatiwake Kuno snapped, turning his head back to look down at his diminutive manservant. "We don't have time for anything more, especially petty errands!"

Turning away from a light armor set once used by a ninja, Sasuke blushed slightly, rushing to his master's side. "M-my apologies, master Kuno! I was merely hinting that the grocery shopping had yet to be done."

"By all that is noble, _think _for once man!" Kuno blew out an exasperated breath. "This is the last day I can attend this convention due to some business appointments I have to attend throughout the week. There is much to see before the day rests. Let my sister attend to the household duties for once!"

Turning his head from side to side, Kuno stopped momentarily to gaze at one piece of armor to the other, enhancing polite words with their owners. The polite buzz of conversation only seemed to excite the young noble as he admired several suits of armor that had been worn during the crusade against Constantinople. For all his mental density, he certainly had a knack for historical significance.

Kuno, as Sasuke understood it, was a huge history buff and had, with the aide of his immeasurable wealth, collected some very valuable artifacts himself over the years. Events like this excited him, and he felt like a child at the fair, thrilled by everything in sight. But it wasn't until he reached the far end of the room and found himself gazing at a set of black armor that seemed to shine with an unearthly sheen that he felt truly captivated.

The armor almost felt alive, and Kuno clearly felt a measure of aura surrounding it, a dark hunger that seemed to reach out for his soul with gaping jaws. Thinking back, he felt more from his heart than his underused brain that he _knew _this armor! He had seen it somewhere before… but even as he contemplated it, the memory of where or when he had seen it eluded him. The more he thought about it, the more he couldn't concentrate.

He grinned softly. _Ah well, no matter. It cannot be that important anyways. Besides, I'm wasting time; I have so much more to see!_

He turned away from the armor, moving down the far wall, gazing at further sets of priceless armor. "Sasuke, keep up! Time is short!"


	19. Ukyo’s Rage

Chapter Eighteen: Ukyo's Rage

The young male baby who was destined to rise up once again was currently sleeping peacefully in his tiny crib. One day he would be become a true god of chaos to the world, paving the way for the ascension of his people by wiping out the human civilizations that got in his way. As the body of the child snored and rested, the mind within was hard at work, studying the situation in Japan with a keen tactical mind. He was a patient entity. There was no other choice when one was trapped inside the body of a small child. Yet even given his patient mind, he couldn't dismiss a sense of strong annoyance that had been plaguing him since Ranma and Ryoga's battle with the Shadow Warrior.

The Warrior was an absolute fool. He had found victory and had walked away from it, allowing his foolish pride to get the better of him. Ranma and Ryoga were now training for a rematch when in reality they should have already been placed six feet under amidst a crowd of tear stricken family members. This Warrior who kept his identity a carefully guarded secret could not do so from this entity's eyes. He knew who this armor obsessed man really was. He also knew that this man knew Ranma very well. That would mean he also knew how resilient Ranma was. He could not be beaten the same way twice. The fool should have thought about that before he had let them escape.

Now it was up to him to aide the Shadow Warrior indirectly. The Shadow Warrior had initiated battle with Ranma, so it was only fair to leave that boy alone until the Warrior could kill him at the next battle. The same could not be said for Ryoga. If he were removed, it would cut Ranma's chances for winning down to impossible. With this thought in mind, the entity scanned Tokyo, searching for the best tool to use as a catalyst for Ryoga's undoing.

It didn't take him long to settle on Ukyo. While hard at work in her shop, with Ryoga not far away as he wandered the streets in confusion, he noted that her inner thoughts betrayed her. Waves of uncertainty, jealousy, and depression rolled off of her in copious amounts. Using his energy like a hand, he touched her. She was none the wiser to his probe and he sowed the seeds of violence into the back of her mind. She was now a silent time bomb. When Ryoga spied her restaurant and entered to gain his bearings, he would unwittingly ignite that bomb. With his powers firmly locked onto her spirit, she would become a demon of vengeance and attack him.

If he possessed the ability to chuckle the being would have then. Manipulating these pawns was far too easy. Today would see the end of Ryoga and the securing of victory for the Shadow Warrior against Ranma. The Warrior's vengeance would be sated and he would retire in victory and the world would be without Ranma to intervene on its behalf, leaving it ripe to the entities ravaging claws.

* * *

Ukyo was concerned. No, concerned wasn't even the right word. The magnitude of its meaning didn't even come close to describe what she was feeling inside her heart. She was downright worried. Ranma and Akane hadn't been acting like themselves lately. They never fought anymore, reinforcing the fact that the two were growing closer than ever before, even though she hadn't seen them act lovey dovey. Were they hiding something from her? This turned her stomach painfully and her pretty face contorted into a grimace. Could it be that the two actually... no! She wouldn't let herself think that, no matter what! Ranma had never shown true love for Akane before, and she didn't believe he would start now.

She smiled with self-assurance. _Someday he'll break off his engagement to Akane and come to me, his rightful fiancée. He knows who the better choice is. I'm much better qualified than that bob hair-cut wearing klutz._

As she served up a few orders in her restaurant, the skilled chef held fast to her dream. It was only a matter of time until Ranma wised up to the facts. After all, she was cuter, smarter, had a better body, and could cook! Yes, it was only a matter of time. Her resolve strengthened and this thought looped through her brain over and over. He had promised to look after her hadn't he? Ranma wouldn't break his promise, she was sure of that much. He had twice the amount of honor his father possessed.

_This waiting is unbearable though. It's going on much too long._

She sighed inwardly, throwing a piping hot Okanomiyaki onto a hungry customers plate. It was also strange that Ranma hadn't stopped by to see her for a while. With the promise of free food, he usually showed up once or twice a week at least, and always on the night's Akane tried to cook. Recently though, she hadn't seen him except at school. Either Akane had suddenly learned to cook, which was impossible, or something else had come between her and Ranma, distracting and occupying his time.

_I'll whip up some food and go visit him after I close for the night. He always enjoys a free meal._

Serving the last few customers she began making a deluxe custom made Okanomiyaki for Ranma, adding lots of Squid on the top since she knew it happened to be his favorite. She was in the middle of drawing up a heart made out of sauce when the door chime ringed, signaling the arrival of another hungry customer. She smiled inwardly. If there was one thing she was thankful for it was a steady business. The suburbs of Tokyo were a great location, especially since her cooking blew most of the other local restaurants out of the water.

"Welcome to Ucchan's Okanomiyaki!" She said without looking up. "Come on in, sugar."

Completing the last sauce brush-stroke on her masterpiece, she glanced up and smiled, ready to make her new customer feel right at home. "Take a seat and... Ryoga? Hey, what are you doing here?"

Ryoga stood in the doorway looking a bit confused as he went from glancing from side to side to staring deep into her blue eyes. "Oh, hey, Ukyo. I was out jogging with Akane and I kinda' got lost. You know how it is." He put his hand behind his head and laughed nervously.

Something triggered in the back of Ukyo's head. She recalled that he had been acting nervously around her for the last few months. She made a mental note to inquire about that later but for now she had much more pressing things to ask him. "Have a seat." She motioned with one of her spatulas at the stool in front of her.

_Ryoga's been hanging around Ranma and Akane a lot lately. Maybe I can milk him for some information on why they've been acting so strange._

She knew how gullible he was. This helped her to take advantage of him in her schemes to steal Ranma away from Akane. The only problem was that her plans never worked for one reason or another. If they had, she wouldn't have any need to take advantage of his weak points. She didn't necessarily like using Ryoga's weakness against him; as far as Ukyo was concerned, using Ryoga to gain some information that would lead her to securing a future with Ranma was all just means to an end.

"So, why out jogging, Ryoga? It's not like you to take in such a light workout, is it? Usually when you train you rush into the heavy stuff right away like swinging a telephone pole around or something."

"I'm trying to build up my speed and endurance for our upcoming fight."

_Our? What the..? _She began cooking him a free snack. Food besides beer, was the easiest way to loosening a man's tongue. "Fight? With who?"

Ryoga looked at her with a puzzled expression. "You mean you haven't heard?"

"Heard? Heard about what!?" Her curiosity was hooked. She absolutely hated to be left out of the loop. The way Ryoga was talking made her think she was about to gain some crucial knowledge. She didn't like being kept out of the loop on events, especially when it involved people she knew.

Ryoga looked her hard in the eyes. "Three days ago, Ranma and I fought this strange character from China dressed in some kind of combat armor. We lost badly... to say the least. He almost killed us. So, now we're training for a rematch."

Ukyo thought back to three days ago. "I've been out of school these last few days to cater to a huge armor collection group that's meeting here in Tokyo. That's probably why I haven't heard about any of this. I'm horrified Ran-chan was hurt, but I'm not surprised you two didn't win, you never did work well together."

Ryoga shook his head. "That was true, but not anymore. Ranma and I have put side our differences. We aren't rivals over Akane anymore."

Ukyo blinked in surprise. This certainly was a day of news! "And why is that?"

"Because Akane's chosen Ranma over me. We have nothing to be rivals about anymore. What's the point?" Instantly he clamped his hand over his mouth. He'd forgotten that he wasn't supposed to talk about Ranma's and Akane's relationship, especially to people they knew. _Damn it, I blew it!_

A lump settled in the pit of her stomach. "What do you mean 'she chose him?!'"

Ryoga sighed. He'd already started telling her everything. No point in trying to hide after the fact. "Simple, Ranma and Akane have finally admitted their care for each other, in a sense. I always knew the love was there, but I thought I could delay it until I could make Akane love me. I never really had a chance with her now that I look back at it."

"This… isn't possible…" She dropped the spatula she had been cooking with as coldness swept up her spine like a harsh winter wind.

Something snapped inside of her and Ukyo existed no more. A darkness came over her mind and suddenly the shock was replaced by pain, anger, and shadow.

"R-r-ranma and Akane... in... love...?! No. No! Noooooooooo!" She screamed at the top of her lungs, causing the few remaining customers to bail out of the restaurant like it was on fire. Her heart shattered and fell in little pieces into the sinking pool that was her stomach. Cold tears sprung from her eyes and washed down her cheeks. As she hunched forward, they fell onto the grill, causing it to sizzle.

"No!" She swatted all her cooking utensils and plates off the counter with her fist. "It can't be true! Ranma loves me, not her! It's a lie! A lie! You're lying to me! You have to be!"

Ryoga stumbled off the stool and took a cautious step backwards. He had never seen Ukyo act so angry before. He wasn't sure how to properly handle the situation. She was clearly going to take it worse than Shampoo had given her longer relationship with Ranma and he, like an idiot, hadn't realized that in time. Ukyo and Ranma had known each other for most of their lives and Ranma had lead Ukyo on not once, but twice, regardless of the fact that he didn't know he was doing it. It was only natural that she'd be as crushed as she was.

What he truly wasn't prepared for was how traumatic she had become in the course of a few seconds. When a person's only dream and love are placed in a single thing and person and then it is removed forever, they handle it in different ways. It was the final straw for Ukyo and the last of her rational thought was buried beneath a wave of angry red heat.

"Akane! Akane, you…damn you! How could you do this to me!? Ranma, you promised to look after me!"

She let out another heart-shattering wail and threw several razor sharp spatulas into the walls as her madness took hold of her mind, craving destruction. Her anger turned into a berserk fury and her eyes tinted red and narrowed into mere slits, like the hooded eyes of a snake. She wanted to break something more than ever before in her life.

Ryoga was starting to get scared. Looking upon her now, he almost couldn't tell it was her; she had changed into a dark monster of vengeance. "Ukyo, calm down! It hurt me too, at first! There was nothing I could do! Besides, now that I think about it, Ranma and Akane _belong _together!"

An insane gleam shone in her eyes. "Oh, but there is something _I _can do about it! I'll kill Akane! Ranma will be mine! Forever!" She grabbed her spatula and bolted for the door.

Ryoga could never have guessed Ukyo was capable of such fury. When Ranma brought her back to her sense of womanhood after she had shunned it for so many years, she had rebuilt her life to revolve solely around him. To have been cheated out of a shining, promised future, it was no wonder Ukyo's sanity was crumbling into nonexistence. There was nothing left for her to cling to.

_Shit!_ Ryoga reached out and grabbed onto her arm before she could clear the door. He slammed her back into the wall and held her struggling body in place. He found to his immense surprise that he could barely hold her back.

"Ukyo! Snap out of it! You're talking like you've gone insane!"

"I haven't gone insane. No, far from it! For the first time in my life everything makes _perfect_ sense. I've been living a lie, Ryoga! But today, Ranma will be mine! Don't try to stop me! You won't succeed! No one will! Ranma will be my _husband_!"

"I won't let you hurt Akane!" he screamed, shaking her violently.

Ukyo went limp. As she ceased to struggle, her head fell forward and her chocolate colored hair blocked him from looking into her eyes. "Let go me Ryoga," she commanded evenly. "Right now."

He shook his head. "I can't do that until you calm down, Ukyo."

"I said, let _go_!" She managed to get her arm with the spatula free. With a great swing, she cut deep into Ryoga's side with the sharp side of her battle spatula. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as blood splattered across the wall.

Pain rushed up through Ryoga's body and he knew only agony as a jolt slammed through his spine. The blade sliced into him, past his skin, past his muscle, through to bone, and even into his very soul. He screamed in pain and fell to his knees. His bright yellow shirt turned a dark shade of red and his vision blurred almost instantly as waves of pain overwhelmed his senses.

Ukyo towered over him, looking down at his body without expression. He looked up at her in shocked silence, his form shaking half from pain, half from fear. She was going to kill him! There was no remorse or room for mercy in her clouded mind and he couldn't stop her as injured as he was.

Fire and pain consumed him. He didn't know what to do.

Her gaze was murderous, as if she had been inconvenienced by attacking him. "Now do you see? You can't stop what has to be!"

She swung her spatula downward, attempting to cleave him in half. At the last second however, her eyes opened a fraction wider and she swung to the side, imbedding her weapon into the floor beside him. She missed him by mere inches and she had done so on purpose. With trembling hands, she gazed at her weapon as if for the first time, neither speaking nor moving for a moment that stretched on forever. A shred of sanity had returned to her, but Ryoga couldn't count on it to last. He had to act before she could make another move!

Her eyes were large and feral. Trembling, she panted for breath, unable to focus her gaze on anything. "Wha..?"

"Bakusai Tenketsu!"

With a jab of his finger, Ukyo's spatula shattered before it could be used again. Destroying her ancestral spatula was a small price to pay to save his life. His wound started to throb terribly and the pain nearly caused him to vomit. He grimly realized he was probably going to bleed to death long before help could arrive. He rose to his feet despite the agony coursing within and pinned her arms down to her sides. The lack of blood made the effort nearly impossible and it was his will alone that continued to fuel his body. It took all of his strength just to stay conscious.

"Ukyo! Snap out of it, damn it! Get a hold of yourself!" He screamed, resisting the urge to shake her harder.

Ukyo snarled and tried to break free but even injured as he was, Ryoga was still too strong for her. He realized that he might have to knock her out if she couldn't be made to come to her senses. He had never hit a woman before, except for Ranma in her female form, but didn't count since Ranma was really a man. He really didn't want to hurt her, even after all she had done.

He quickly decided to try and reason with her once more. "Ukyo, get a grip! What would Ranma think if he saw you right now!?"

Ukyo stopped struggling and looked at him as pain surfaced in the blue sea that was her eyes. The madness melted away and her beautiful features once more made it apparent as she returned to herself. "R-r-ranma..." She fainted dead away, falling limply into his arms. He laid her on the floor as gently as he could, struggling to maintain a normal rate of breathing.

"This hasn't been my week. Not my week at all." He winced. Pulling up his shirt, he looked down at his side, revealing a deep, lateral gash that was bleeding his life-giving blood away in copious amounts. Crimson blood trickled down his side, further staining his shirt and pants.

_I've got to call a doctor!_ Spotting a telephone over on the counter, he stumbled over to it, willing his lead legs to move. But as his knees buckled, he realized it was too late. His time had run out and his strength was waning.

Falling to the ground, he dimly felt his cheek hit the ground and he stared at the legs of the tables around him. Vaguely he felt the taste of blood in his mouth, running over his tongue. _Is this it? Is this how it all ends?_

Everything went black and he knew no more.

* * *

Ukyo woke up and groaned, rubbing her aching head. Her vision swirled madly before her as if a freight train had hit her head on. "What happened? What am I doing on the ground?" She shook her head, blinking the red spots away and rose to a sitting position, feeling sick to her stomach. She looked around at her restaurant in shock. Tables lay overturned and several plates lay in pieces on the floor. It looked like the scene of a bar room brawl from some martial arts movie. "What the! What happened in here!?"

She saw Ryoga lying much too still on the ground by the counter in a pool of his own blood. She saw he had tried to stumble over to the telephone, because sticky blood was smeared all across her counter… and the trail started from where she was at. On the floor for her eyes to see were bits and pieces of her spatula, also covered in blood. She gasped and cried out in horror, remembering the events that had just transpired.

"Oh gods, Ryoga! No!" She ran over to him and knelt, checking out his condition. She was relieved to see that he was still breathing, but his face was deathly pale and growing more so each moment.

"Ryoga, wake up! Ryoga! What have I done?!" She shook him gently but the boy didn't stir. His wound was leaking his vital life essence at an alarming rate. If he didn't get help soon he would surely die.

Acting quickly, she called Dr. Tofu's clinic, dialing the number with frenzied hands. A cheery voice answered the phone. "Onno clinic, this is Doctor Tofu speaking. How may I help you?"

"Doctor, there's been an accident at my restaurant! Ryoga's hurt bad and bleeding all over the place! Please hurry over!"

"I'll be right over! Dress the wound and apply pressure! You must get the bleeding to stop."

"Yes sir!" Ukyo hung up the phone then grabbed a spare towel from her closet. As directed, she applied pressure to his wound, holding the deep cut together as best she could. Ryoga groaned in pain and she felt stab after stab of guilt and horror wash through her soul. She held the cloth to him, willing the blood to stop seeping.

"Ryoga, forgive me! Oh gods, please forgive me!"

A few minutes later Dr. Tofu rushed in holding his medical bag tightly in one hand. His eyes widened in concern when he looked at Ryoga's wound, inspecting it with care. "Call the paramedics, Ukyo! I'll do what I can in the meantime!"

Ukyo called for an ambulance and gave the voice operator her name and address. Hanging up when directed to do so, she went back over to Dr. Tofu watching his hands work with skilled given to him after many years of practice. He had managed to stop the bleeding, but not much else. Ryoga's breath started coming in shorter, ragged pants and his skin was a sickly white shade.

"Oh no, no, no…" Ukyo's face paled and her hands came up to cup her mouth.

Dr. Tofu applied some strategic pressure points, but he was truly working against time itself, and his frenzied motions showed that what he was doing was not going to be enough by itself.

The paramedics burst into the room soon after and quickly hoisted Ryoga's near lifeless body onto a stretcher. Ukyo and Dr. Tofu jumped in the back of the ambulance escorting him off to the hospital. The clock ticked by, increasing Ryoga's chances of death with every turn of the hand. Time was running out and Ukyo held on tightly to his hand as the ambulance screamed down the city streets, she wished it was her in the stretcher, feeling the pain and agony she so rightly deserved to feel.

* * *

As Ryoga was wheeled off to the emergency room, Dr. Tofu conversed with a group of other doctors who would soon be operating on the boy. Ukyo sat alone in the waiting room, numb from the events that had occurred as a direct result of her actions. Guilt welled up inside of her like a fierce storm and pain pierced her brain like lightning.

_This is my fault! What the hell got into me?! I can't believe I almost killed one of the few people I can actually call a friend! What am I going to do!? Ryoga... I'm so sorry..._

She put her head in her hands and began to cry, finally releasing the tears she had wanted to shed hours before. She hated feeling sorry for herself, but a part of her realized that she couldn't help it. It disgusted her how cruel she had been and she understood that there was no one to blame for that but herself. Whatever punishment fate had in store for her would be completely justified.

She felt a hand land on her shoulder and she quickly wiped her eyes, mumbling an apology. She looked up at Dr. Tofu and saw her sad face in the reflection of his glasses. The image shocked her. She was used to being strong and independent but her current image looked more like a scared child than a dependable working girl.

"The doctors say that he's going to make it," Tofu said softly. "They're going to operate on him right now."

Ukyo wiped further tears from her eyes as relief flooded over her. Ryoga was clueless and gullible at times but he had a warrior's attitude and a kind heart. He didn't deserve the injury she had inflicted on him. Like her, he had also been chasing the love of his life, a love he too was destined to never have. In a way, she had always felt a connection to him because of that. How many times had they worked together for the betterment of their own separate yet similar goals?

"Ukyo, how did this happen?" the kind doctor asked, penetrating her thoughts.

It was the question she had been dreading to answer. Her mouth went dry and her mind began to spin. Should she tell the truth and deal with the consequences or try and lie her way out of it?

"I did it, doctor." There was no point in lying about it, she was honest if nothing else and took a small measure of pride in that fact. "Ryoga told me about Ranma falling in love with Akane and I... I... something came over me and I was going to do something horrible. Ryoga stopped me... but I..."

Her voice trailed off and she clung to the doctor's gray robes as fresh tears filled her eyes. _This is it, he's going to call the authorities and I'm going to jail for the rest of my life..._

The doctor put his hand under her chin and made her look up at him. "Ukyo, I know that it's hard knowing that the man you love loves someone else, but that doesn't give you the right to hurt a person because of it. He could have died! What were you thinking?!" he asked sternly.

"I don't know," she moaned. "Now Ryoga will hate me! Everyone will hate me! I'd be better off leaving town and never coming back. No one wants a mental case around."

Tofu sighed. "I'm afraid the situation might be a bit more severe than people simply not liking you. Under situations like this, I'm obligated to call the police. However, I've decided to give that decision to Ryoga. That's the right thing to do, I think."

Ukyo's face paled. "I'm doomed..."

"Here, dry your eyes." He handed her a handkerchief. "I want you to go call Ranma and tell him that Ryoga's in the hospital. Weather you tell him how and why he got here is up to you, but you will have to tell him eventually. I'm sure you'd rather tell him yourself before any rumors reach him first. When Ryoga wakes up I'll let you go and talk to him."

He cleared his throat, allowing some of his stern demeanor to slip away. "I never expected anything like this would happen much less involve you, Ukyo. I'm so horrified, I can't even describe it. I am going to schedule you for a psychological evaluation tomorrow. A good friend of mine runs a clinic just outside of town and he's very good. You will be there. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir..." Ukyo couldn't make eye contact. The shame welled up inside of her. _An outcast and a nutcase. Ukyo you fool. You stupid, stupid fool!_

Tofu cleared his throat again. "I don't think anyone will hate you, Ukyo, not even Ryoga." Don't ask me why, it's just a feeling. My hunches are usually correct. Ryoga's a complex boy and I think that after something like this, you'll find him more confused than angry."

"Yeah… right…"

"Now, you go make that phone call, ok? I've got some business to attend to." He handed her a few yen and scooted her off to the nearest pay phone.

She dialed the phone with shaking hands, struggling to keep the receiver from shaking as she brought it to her ear. She didn't want to do this! Time slowed, intensifying her agony to a nearly unbearable level. Something resembling self-hatred filled her mind and frustration caused her to grip the phone even tighter.

"Tendo residence," A familiar voice said.

"Hi, Kasumi. This is Ukyo." She tried to make her voice sound as normal as possible. "May I please speak to Ranma?"

"Oh, hello, Ukyo! Hold on, I'll go get him." She set the phone down. "Akane! Stop hitting Ranma with the stone from the Koi pond! Ranma, you have a telephone call. It's Ukyo."

"But Kasumi," he said, his voice carrying over the receiver, "processed trash tastes better than her cooking!"

"Ranma! How can you say that after all the effort I put into making this for you!?"

"Well I'm only stating the truth," he added. "I could lie to you if that would make you feel better."

_Slam_! Ukyo couldn't help but winch as she heard him get hit upside the head.

His pain filled voice answered the phone. "Hi, Ukyo. What's up?"

"Hi, Ranma. Listen, there's been an accident and I'm at the First Tokyo hospital with Dr. Tofu.

"Are you ok!?" Concern flooded into Ranma's voice like rain into a storm gutter.

"I'm fine. Its Ryoga... he's... he's hurt really bad."

"What!? We'll be right down! Which hospital?"

Ukyo struggled to keep her tone even as she gave him the information. It was hard, but not in comparison to what she knew was coming.

Ranma hung up without another word. Ukyo slammed the receiver back onto its place and went back to sit down. She wanted to die, to escape the pain her actions would cause. She was a coward, and perhaps had always been one. Mashing her teeth together, she held her head in her hands and wept angry tears, rocking herself back and forth.

An hour or so later, the Saotome's and Tendo's burst through the door, startling several of the nurses as they walked through the hallways. If the sight of a disheveled screaming boy wasn't enough to catch people's attention than the sight of a giant panda pushing through the doorway to the waiting area certainly was.

Ranma stepped forward. "Where's Ryoga?!"

"He's in the emergency room." Ukyo stepped up to him but cast her eyes downward, unable to meet his gaze. "He has a deep cut on his side. He almost bled to death."

"How did this happen!?" Akane asked, coming up to Ranma's side, holding onto his arm in fear.

Ranma's face turned a sickly shade of white. _Did the Shadow Warrior do this? Our week isn't up yet! Did he do it to show us he was serious about what he said about hunting us down if I didn't show up? Wait, why would he try to kill an opponent before the match, I thought his whole goal was to test his strength against the two of us! It just doesn't add up!_

Dr. Tofu walked up to the group, saving Ukyo from having to respond to the hated question. He took off his thin spectacles and cleaned them on his shirt. "Ryoga's awake now, Ukyo. The surgery was a success. I'll let you go talk to him but keep it quick. He does need his rest after all. The nurses moved him to room 324."

Ukyo nodded then sprinted down the hall, trying to outrun her pain. No matter how fast or hard she ran though it always kept pace, taunting her, reminding her how hellish she really was. Ranma had looked at her with such concern and pain over his new found friend's welfare. It broke her heart over and over again. Everything she had seen thus far had served to remind her that everything was her fault.

His eyes, surely they were staring at her back even now, watching her with concern and confusion._ Please, please don't look at me Ranma..._

"What's goin' on?!" Ranma shouted as she turned the corner to go down the next hall. "Why does she get to visit him and we don't?!"

She found the right door easily enough and paused in front of it. Fear filled her heart once again like molten fire but she gathered her composure and steadied her resolve.

_I'm the one who caused this mess and I'm the one who will have to deal with it_! Knocking gently, she opened the door to more pain and stepped inside, trembling slightly. "Umm, Ryoga?"

Nothing could have prepared her for the look Ryoga gave her when she entered the room. It wasn't a look of fury, or hate, rather, it was a questioning look, much as Tofu had said it would be. His dark eyes shown, pleading for a reason, wanting to know why she had caused him so much unwarranted pain. Suddenly, she was afraid of Ryoga, afraid he would hate her. She was terrified of what he might say, what he would do to her.

The color had returned to his face and he had a small tube inserted into his left arm. His regular, blood-soaked clothing had been removed and a crisp white hospital gown now covered his weakened form. To see the powerful boy, who was capable of bringing buildings down around him if he so wished, lying weakly in a hospital bed shocked her. Timidly, she went and knelt by his bed-side. He looked so helpless.

He looked over at her, struggling to find the right words to say. "Ukyo..."

The way he said it, so full of sadness and pain, pushed her over the brink. The soft, pain filled voice and the look of his eyes destroyed any last bit of self-control she had managed to scramble together.

"Oh, Ryoga, I'm so sorry!" Tears stained the beds white sheets as she leaned over him. "I never meant to hurt you like I did! You're one of my best friends! Please... please don't hate me." She looked away, clenching her eyes shut. "Send me to jail; let me rot for what I've done! I hate myself for hurting you!"

Ryoga put his hand over hers. "I don't hate you, Ukyo." His voice came in barely over a whisper. "I know how it feels to lose your chance for happiness with the person you love. Watching them embrace the one they love, who might be your greatest rival hurts so much. I know all about the pain and the loneliness. It's almost unbearable for you, isn't it?"

"Yes but it's was no excuse for hurting you, not even because of a broken heart! You were a wonderful person for stopping me from doing something I'd regret even worse. You're a good, kind-hearted man. And me…"

A half sob, half laugh escaped her lips. "And I'm a demon." She didn't know why he was being so nice to her. She wanted to be treated like trash, it was what she deserved. His kind words made her pain even worse.

"Stop it," he scolded softly. "I can't tell you the number of times I've tried to do worse to Ranma over situations half as bad as this one. Besides, I don't think you were trying to kill me, even in your former state of mind. When you cut me and knocked me to the ground, you raised your weapon up to cleave me in half and I was sure I was going to die. But, at the last second, you swung to the side, purposely missing my body. Somewhere inside, you managed to hold onto your humanity. It almost felt like you were being controlled, or something."

"Stop rationalizing things, damn it! Call me names! Insult me! Tell me how worthless I am! I deserve it!" She squeezed her eyes shut tightly. "I'm so angry at myself that I can't stand it!"

He gave her hand a light squeeze and laughed softly, shaking his head. "Those drugs the nurses gave... I'm started to feel sleepy. Listen, Ukyo, I've lived with the pain of loneliness all my life so I know its effects better than anyone. When I came to Nerima and met Akane, everything changed in my life. For the last few years I thought Akane was the only person who kept me coming back here again and again, dreaming for a better future."

He sighed. "Now, I know the truth. I couldn't even admit it to myself before, but I realized there was a reason I kept teaming up with you, allowing myself to play the fool in our little schemes to win over our beloveds. It started just after I rescued you on Togenkyo, when you bandaged my wounds and complimented me as I lay exhausted on the ground after using the Shishi Hokodan on that monkey guy. That dress and the way it complimented you, the concern for me in your eyes, I found myself losing my former views of you and adopting new ones."

Ukyo cocked her head to the side. "What do you mean?"

Ryoga couldn't hide a huge yawn but he forced his eyes to stay open. "I traveled a lot after we got back from Togenkyo, training some, as I tried to find my way back. But for the most part, I spent my time thinking. The more I thought about you and Akane and the situation at hand, the more I realized my own feelings. I felt I had to hide them and I tried to appear the same as I always had. I didn't see you for a long time. The only two times I can recall were from a distance at the Christmas party and again when I teamed up with you in the cave full of ghosts a few weeks after that."

Ukyo nodded, looking away. "Yeah, I remember that. We fought pretty well together didn't we?"

Ryoga nodded, smiling slightly. "Your skill impressed me and even though we failed in our goal to steal over Akane for me and Ranma for you, I wasn't sad. Because as we stumbled out of that cave as everyone laughed at us, calling us a couple, I realized with finality that I did indeed have feelings for you. But I hid them deeper still and tried to stay away from you, focusing on only Akane."

He looked at her, fighting back sleep but losing as the drugs worked within him. "I thought it was dishonorable to care for two women at the same time."

"Two women?" Ukyo's eyes widened in shock. "You can't possibly mean...?"

Ryoga nodded. His eyes started to droop. "I've given up on Akane. Ukyo Konji, I…still… care for you…" He drifted off into a restful sleep, his head settling back into the pillow.

Ukyo bolted into a standing position. "W-what!? Wait a sec!"

Her eyes grew wide in amazement. Her mind started whirling again as a thousand things hit her at once. She lowered her head, feeling faint. It was such a sudden proclamation she didn't know how to handle it. It was also one of the last things she expected to hear from Ryoga given the circumstances. She had never thought of him and herself as compatible.

She stumbled out of her chair and fell to her knees beside his bed, watching him sleep. She shook her head violently. _This isn't right; he's supposed to hate me! I don't deserve to be loved! I would never have thought… not after the way I used him over and over to get Ranma. But if he knew and went along with it… this is all happening too fast!_

Dr. Tofu opened the door, clearing his throat and rescuing her from her own thoughts. "Ok, Ukyo, it's time to go. Ryoga needs to rest and, from the looks of it, so do you. Come on, I'll drive you home."

Ukyo nodded numbly, following him out the door. She passed Ranma and Akane who were on their way in to check on their fallen friend before going home. She absent mindedly waved good night to them, sighing at the sad expressions their faces bore. Ranma didn't try to stop her or shout an inquiry this time, but she knew he would come seeking answers soon enough.

"May I come visit Ryoga again, doctor?" She asked.

"Of course, though I'll have to ask that a security guard waits outside the door. You must understand, after the incident today, I have no choice. But you can visit him every day if you want. I'll get you a pass to wear so the hospital officials know who you are. Oh, and I'll pick you up tomorrow at four for your appointment." He didn't tell her, but he had heard Ryoga's confession. It had surprised him too.

He smiled to himself, turning away so she couldn't see his face._ Love springs up at the weirdest times._

He wondered if he would ever gather the nerve needed to tell Kasumi about his feelings for her…

* * *

When he dropped her off at her restaurant, it was around nine. She opened the backdoor with a key that she hid under a loose brick then went straight up to her bedroom. She slipped out of her clothes and put on a pair of silk pajamas she had purchased a few months before. Climbing into bed, she sighed, feeling the coolness of the sheets brush against her skin. Her mind still raced along inside her head. There was no way she could sleep after everything that had happened. She had too much to think about and the burden of guilt had yet to be lifted.

_You should still feel guilty!_ She snarled fiercely, gripping her spatula's handle as she sat in bed. _You were a monster today! You nearly killed your best friend! He should hate me. And yet... he doesn't. Why!? Why did he forgive me so easily!? How could he love a monster like me!? It doesn't make any sense!_

His words came back to her. _"I could never admit it, not even to myself. I thought it was dishonorable to care so much for two women at the same time."_

Ryoga's words etched themselves into her mind. _"Ukyo Konji, I love you..."_

She stood up and opened her blinds, allowing the moonlight to flow in around her. The soft cool breeze gently tickled her bare legs. _How can he love me after what I've put him through? It's insane! Is he teasing me as a way of revenge?_

She thought about it for a moment then ruled it out. _No, Ryoga doesn't joke around when it comes to feelings. He always was a sensitive guy. Maybe… maybe he really does love me! _

She looked up at the moon_. How do I feel about him? That's a damn good question. Before today I would have told myself he was nothing but a tool to break up Ranma and Akane, a lost boy with a gullible nature who served a purpose in my various schemes. I guess I never did get to know him like I wanted to. I treated him so badly. He certainly didn't deserve that._

An image of Ryoga helping her against the hoard of spirits in the Tunnel of Lost Love flashed in her mind.

_He really is handsome_, she thought. _Those little fangs of his are just adorable. He's shy but still really sweet, and I know I don't deserve him, or any other decent guy for that matter. That's about the only thing I'm sure of right now._

She shook her head to clear it. _Stop thinking nonsense, Ukyo! I'll talk to him about all this tomorrow. I'll convince him that he's just confused and his speech was nothing but fever induced talk._

Getting back into her bed, she stared at her ceiling until sleep finally took her un-willing mind. In her unguarded mind overcome by sleep, where nothing can hide itself, visions of Ryoga filled her dreams and a light blush touched her face.


	20. Countdown to Destiny

Chapter Nineteen: Count Down to Destiny

The Saotomes and the Tendos left the hospital not long after Ukyo. Stopping by Ryoga's room, Akane set a rose by the sleeping boy's bed and Ranma clasped his friends hand, promising to visit again as soon as he was able. It was hard to gaze on their stricken friend even if sleep had temporarily taken him away from the ocean of pain produced by his injury. Akane leaned heavily on Ranma for support as they left the room, and from the sound her heaving, he knew she was desperately trying not to cry. Ryoga had been through so much already in the past week and to have his life nearly taken from him in such a violent way weighed heavily on their hearts.

They all left for home in a sorrowful mood. Ranma kept to himself for the rest of the night, talking to none. Sitting out in the backyard under the stars, he blew out an annoyed breath, watching the heavenly lights twinkle above. The crickets were playing their natural music all around him, rejoicing as the fireflies danced above them. There were too many unanswered questions involving the incident today! Doctor Tofu had refused to tell him how Ryoga had gotten hurt. How could he avenge his friend if he didn't even know what happened?! Biting back a wave of frustration, he laid on his back and sighed heavily.

He was concerned for another reason as well. Ryoga would be in no condition to fight in the upcoming match and he wasn't sure if he could defeat the Shadow Warrior on his own, even with his new training program all set up. He wouldn't back down, no matter what, that much was certain. He had his honor to maintain. But was honor really worth throwing his life away for? Akane mattered so much to him, how could he just throw it away for honor's sake?

'It is far better to die honorably in battle than to be stabbed in the back while fleeing.' One of the only decent pieces of advice his father had taught him rang sound in his mind. Genma had never followed the advice, of course, but its words still stuck in Ranma's head. Plucking at a blade of grass, he submerged deeper into his thoughts, allowing all his fear and anger to boil to the surface.

_I don't think I'll survive._ His fist clenched tightly.

Death didn't really scare him. But the thought of not being there with Akane did. He cared her with all his heart and soul and he didn't want to die with her watching. She'd never recover from seeing something like that. It would be too much to bear. But the thought of skipping out on the fight was just as unbearable. Besides, the Shadow Warrior would just hunt him down if he failed to show. It seemed to be a lose-lose situation no matter how he looked at it. It went beyond honor, he realized. It was a matter of survival and the safety of his family and friends. He had to fight to his full potential. If he didn't his chances of winning would be nonexistent. At least in the environment of combat he had a chance.

Ranma looked up at the full moon as it bathed pale light down upon him. Ryoga loved to look up at the stars, he recalled. Often when he thought no one was looking, he would go out late at night and lie in the grass and watch the unending sea of stars twinkle across the night sky. Ranma had spied him doing this many times and he had realized that there was more to Ryoga than meets the eye. He wondered how many lonely nights Ryoga had spent lost in the wilds of Japan with only the sky above to serve as a companion. What a lonely existence the boy led.

He listened to the sound of a train roar by in the distance, its horn echoing off of the quiet buildings around it. Being a martial artist was a hard life, full of misfortune and danger. Ranma clearly knew how lonely Ryoga felt. He hardly ever saw his family due to the infamous 'Hibiki sense of direction.' Not only that, but he didn't really have any close friends except maybe Ukyo and the two had only really seen each other as a tool to break him and Akane up. Also, Ryoga absolutely _hated _his curse, clearly as much as Ranma hated his. The only thing Ryoga really had to depend on was his skill in martial arts and even then, he often got frustrated when he lost to Ranma time and time again. No matter how hard he trained, Ryoga couldn't completely close the skill gap between them.

_And yet he never gave up._ Ranma couldn't help but smile slightly. That was why he had so much respect for his newfound friend. Ryoga never quit. When he failed, he would just work that much harder for the next battle. His determination was uncanny. No matter how much Ranma beat Ryoga, it never kept the boy down.

Ranma shivered. It was getting colder and the moon rose higher still, above the clouds to gaze at the city below. _Better get inside,_ he thought. _Tomorrow I'll get the whole story from Ukyo._

He walked into the house and silently padded up the stairs. Akane had been real quiet on the way home. That a clear sign that she was worried but it didn't take a genius to notice that. He knocked softly on her door and when he got no reply, he opened it and quietly approached her bed. She was asleep and clad in her Yellow pajamas. She hugged her pillow to her tightly, mumbling something in her sleep.

"G'night, Akane," He whispered. Touching her head, he tiptoed out of her room after making sure no one had spotted him, and crept back into his own. Genma lay on his futon, snoring loudly, probably dreaming about food like he always did. Ranma looked over at Ryoga's empty futon as a lonely feeling settled into the pit of his stomach. He lay down and put his hands behind his head, thinking about his uncertain future until sleep came and carried him off to the world of dreams.

* * *

A snap-hiss of crackling energy gave birth to a small ball of energy that grew in the Warrior's hand. The bluish light swelled and grew, until it was roughly the size of a basketball. Light streaked from its frame, bathing his hotel room in an assortment of vibrant colors. Giving his eyes time to adjust, he blinked several times and sat on his bed, peering into the center of the ball.

"Let's see how my friends are faring." Flexing the hand that cupped the base of the orb ever so slightly, images came to him: Ranma training Akane, Ukyo, setting up her restaurant for business the following day, worthless images that he couldn't bear to gaze at any longer. Then, right before he was about to cancel out the seeing org, he saw Ryoga's battered body lying in the hospital bed, resting fitfully but very much incapacitated. His eye's widened slightly in surprise and he studied the image further.

"Oh, this is too much!" A light, feral smile touched his lips and he chuckled. "Only a few days left and Ranma's ally is half dead in the hospital. He doesn't have a chance now! I've won for sure! Oh, Ranma, the very gods forsake you!"

A splitting howl of a laugh echoed throughout the hotel as the Warrior crushed the orb into nothingness, and the black darkness once again bathed his body as his vile mind settled in to sleep. His twisted dreams were filled with Ranma's screams and he woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed then he had in a long, long time.

Ukyo sat in Math class listening to Mr. Wanabee drone on. She just couldn't force herself to concentrate. All day long she had thought about the tragedy that had occurred the day before, replaying the images over and over in her mind. Ranma had been giving her questioning looks all day and she knew what lay in store for her that afternoon. There was no avoiding him, when Ranma wanted something, nothing could stop his persistence.

She had arrived to school late due to her therapy session. She had elected to keep in touch with the doctor so he could monitor her progress. It had been a painless appointment, and he understood her situation, the stress she was under. Once he had verified that there would be no legal action undertaken, he had delved into her mind, helping her, if only slightly, to work out the pain and problems she was suffering from.

_Ryoga..._

She wondered how he was doing. Waiting here for the end of the day was almost unbearable. She looked at the clock impatiently. It was only 12:05; school wouldn't be over for another couple of hours. Thankfully the school bell rang at that moment, signaling that lunch had started. Pulling out an Okanomiyaki bento, she went outside to sit at the far end of the school grounds, taking a little comfort at the sun friendly rays warmed her frame.

She wanted to be alone with her thoughts today, away from the carefree gossip of her peers. She sat on the short grass and smoothed out the wrinkles of her boy's uniform, quietly eating her food and contemplating how to tackle her mixed feelings about Ryoga's situation. She enjoyed the relative silence around her, allowing herself to feel a little more at ease.

"So there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you."

She froze. Ranma was absolutely the last person she wanted to see right now! The dread and fear that had slowly been fading rushed back up inside of her again, fast as lightning. She swallowed visibly and put on a fake smile, turning her head to look at him. "Oh. Hi, Ran-chan! What brings you out here?"

Ranma knelt beside her. "I needed to talk to you, Ucchan. What exactly happened yesterday? How did Ryoga get hurt so bad? Nothing human could have done that!"

Ukyo gulped. This was the time, she had to tell him! There could be no backing down. She had started this whole matter and she had to live with its every consequence, no matter what. "Will you promise not to hate me if I tell you?"

Ranma looked at her questioningly. "I promise," he said guardedly.

Ukyo took a deep breath. "Yesterday, Ryoga came to my shop after he got lost. We talked, and he told me all about the fight you two lost and how you and Akane had finally fallen in… in..." She choked out the last few words and her heart squeezed painfully.

Ranma nodded. _I knew Ryoga would slip up and open his big mouth!_ "Go on."

"I couldn't believe that you had chosen her over me and I felt so hurt and enraged. I don't remember everything, but I think I had been planning on confronting you about it and taking my anger out on Akane. When Ryoga tried to stop me, I cut his side open with my spatula. He finally got a hold of me and I... I guess I fainted. When I woke up, he was almost dead from blood loss. I called Doctor Tofu and we managed to get him to the hospital in time."

She turned away from him as his facial expression changed. "I understand if you hate me for what I did." She started to stand but Ranma grabbed her shoulder, stopping her. Her head shot up in shock as his fingers held on almost painfully to her shoulder.

"Ukyo, how could you do something like that!?" His voice was both menacingly cold and deeply horrified at the same time. "He was your friend damnit!"

"I never meant to hurt him!" She fought to keep her voice calm but even she detected the slight quiver in her tone. "It's just... I loved..." she trailed off. Even now, even after everything that had happened, she couldn't finish her sentence. She knew what she felt in her heart and yet the words would not come forth. She almost laughed as despair consumed her.

"That ain't no excuse! Not even close!" His anger bubbled to the surface, unrestrained. "There is _no _excuse for what you've done! You nearly murdered him!"

He grabbed her rougher than perhaps he realized. In the heat of the moment he pushed her hard against a tree. Ukyo had never seen him so angry. If not for his policy of no violence towards women, it was very likely he would have swung at her then and there.

"Than hate me!" She screamed, tearing away from his grasp and jumping up to face him. "I'm not your fiancée' anymore anyways, just a broken obstacle! Nothing matters anymore!" Her barked response was filled with an infinite amount of pain, enough so that it even pierced Ranma's intense anger, if only slightly.

"My relationship with Akane has nothing to do with you losing control of yourself!" he shouted, jabbing a finger at her. "You are responsible for your actions, you and you alone!"

Ukyo half laughed, draping her arms across herself, as if she were cold. "I won't deny that it was my fault for what happened. I'm not a fool. However, if you think all this has nothing to do with you, then you are _blind, _Ranma!"

Ranma squared his jaw. "What the hell does that mean?!"

Ukyo didn't hold back anymore and jabbed her finger at his chest. "I've come to understand that when you and your father dumped me off on the side of the road and left with my father's business cart all those years ago that it wasn't your fault. You were just a child, unable to tell right from wrong. I understand that. But you're a man now, Ranma. For two years you strung me along, letting me live on hopes and dreams that would never come to exist!"

She slammed her open hand over her chest for emphasis. "To a woman, the heart is everything and you've crushed me, little by little, each and every day that I've lived here! You couldn't be man enough to come out and admit you loved Akane, and that gave me a false hope. Not just me, but Shampoo and Kodachi too! What you've done is something I'd expect from your father, not you!

She met his hard gaze. "I am fully prepared to be woman enough to live with what I've done and pay for it however fate sees fit. I will not run or deny anything. Tell your family about what I did. Better yet, tell the whole school if that will make you feel like you're avenging him!" Against her will her bottom lip began to tremble.

"Don't you try to turn this around on me!" he said. "You're the one who-"

"I nearly killed him! Yes, I know that! If I could take it back, I would. Or better yet, if I could switch places I would. But you need to grow up and take responsibility too. Or perhaps…"

Something changed in the blink of an eye and suddenly the air around the two of them felt dark and heavy. A sick smile touched Ukyo's lips and her face twisted as she turned her head to the side. Startled, Ranma released his hold on her and backed up a few steps as she advanced on him, grabbing her top and pulling it open, displaying her breasts wrapped in tape. This display was disturbing, but it was the madness in her face and the look of self-disgust in her eyes that scared him the most.

"Or perhaps you want to kill me for what I did? Hmm? It would be so easy for you to do," she whispered, almost coo'ing. "Your fist could break my ribs and pierce my heart. Or perhaps you could snap my windpipe with one good blow. You could avenge Ryoga right here and now. Doesn't that sound like the right thing to do?"

She continued to advance towards him as he retreated, step-by-step. Alarmed, confused, and utterly horrified, Ranma almost didn't know what to do until he saw tears start to fall down her cheeks. Even as she smiled her eyes begged for death.

It was these two conflicting forms of expression that helped Ranma to get a grip on himself. Looking at her hard, he felt a dark aura surrounding her. Ukyo was insane, he realized, but it wasn't of her doing. Suddenly he reached out for her and took her in his arms as she began to struggle.

"Break me," she whispered hoarsely. "Break me. Break me. Break me. Break me. Break me…"

On and on she droned on, twisting in his grasp. Closing his eyes, Ranma focused his energy and began to bath Ukyo's body with his ki. The girl seemed to realize what he was doing and one hand rose shakingly, aiming to claw at the back of his neck. As his potent energy enveloped her however, that hand and her other one reflectively gripped his shoulders hard enough to pierce cloth and skin as she howled in anguish.

The dark aura, mysterious and vile, was pushed away by his power. Opening his eyes, a dark cloud of collective energy started to separate from Ukyo dissapearing as a brisk howling wind picked up around them, momentarily battering their bodies and forcing Ranma to pull them both back a few steps. Falling to his knees, he held Ukyo as she slowly opened her eyes and looked at him, first appearing surprised and then confused.

"Is everything going to be ok?" she whispered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

Ranma blinked once, opened his mouth to speak, and then sighed sadly. He nodded his head slowly. He wasn't entirely sure what had just happened but it was clear that Ukyo had either been controlled or at the very least influenced by someone else. The Shadow Warrior most likely. The very thought of committing such a dishonorable act caused his hand to tighten into a fist.

"I'm sorry for yelling at you, Ukyo. And yes, you're right. I should have told you everything myself a long time ago."

"So it really is the end?" she whispered horsly.

He sighed and put his hands on her shoulders. It was best to say everything and get it over with rather than drag it out any longer. "I've cared for Akane almost as long as I've been here. I'm sorry, but I would never have married you, even if the circumstances had been different. I just can't love you the way you love me. I should have told you before. If I had, none of this would have happened. In a way, Ryoga's injury was partially my fault too. If I had faced you like a man, then he wouldn't have had to suffer needlessly right now."

Ukyo averted her eyes. A stream of tears flowed down her pretty face from eyes that knew sadness and nothing else. She angrily wiped them away, clenching her hand into a fist. "I never had a chance for your heart..."

"There's only room for one," he said softly.

"Great, perfect… all's well that ends well, right? The hero gets the girl and they live happily ever after." She laughed between sobs and clutched at her heart, felt it break as she cried silver tears of sorrow.

Ranma looked deep into her eyes and saw her pain. "I'll always be your friend, Ukyo… but I know that doesn't mean much to you at this point. You'll always be a part of my family, never forget that. That's the important thing."

"I suppose that's better than being despised," she sighed, wiping her eyes again. "The giant circle we've all been running around in is falling apart isn't it? The same events, the same goals and dreams we've each held true for all these years, they can never be the same again. Figures it would take a few extreme events to change things around here."

She brushed her bangs from in front of her eyes. "A nightmare is coming on the wind," she said, her inner pain speak for her. "The zany and crazy days of our youth are fading."

Ranma closed his eyes, thinking of the Shadow Warrior. It might have been his imagination, but he thought he heard laughter on the breeze, and the hair's on the back of his neck prickled and stood on end. "The nightmare is already here, and he's out for blood."

Ukyo shook her head. "There's more than one kind of nightmare. Each has their own. Mine, it seems, is just beginning."

Ranma looked almost helpless. "I'm sure there are plenty of guys out there who would love to go out with you, Ukyo. Everything will work out in the end. You're sounding like a doomsday preacher or somethin'. That's not like you at all."

She looked at him and forced a small smile. "Who'd be willing to date a monster like me, Ranma? Anyways, I'm going to go see Ryoga today after school and atone for my crime. You want to come with me?"

"Yea, I wanna' check up on him too."

"Ok. I'll meet you out by the school gates after school." She cleared her throat and dried her eyes. "If you don't mind, I'd kinda' like to be by myself right now."

"Uh, ok, I'll see you later then." Thrusting his hands into the pockets of his pants, he walked back into Furinkan almost relieved to escape her zone of anguish and self-pity.

Ukyo sat down again and brought her legs up to her chest, resting her head on her knees. She felt a hole in her heart rip into existence and it hurt, far more than any physical wound.

_Ranma's not even an option anymore, he has Akane. She beat me out for his love! Why her, Ranma? Was I so horrible in your eyes? What do I lack that she has? Did I not love you with all my heart and soul?_

Ryoga had told her of Ranma's feelings for Akane, yes, but hearing it directly from the man she loved was too much to bear. She didn't want to exist anymore. The pain was simply too great. She felt herself falling, and an almost numbing sensation coated her mind. She wanted to scream and fade away all at the same time.

She fell backwards onto her back and gazed at the lazy clouds float above. Time disappeared from existence, leaving her to wallow in her thoughts. "I'm hopeless and lonely! How utterly pathetic. We're a lot alike, aren't we, Ryoga?"

She sat there a moment half crying half sobbing at how cruel fate could be. "Passed over again, huh?"

The school bell rang at last, signaling the end of lunch. Ukyo didn't return to class however, electing instead to stare up at the clouds that afternoon. It was a carefree sky of blue cheer, contrasting so greatly from the emptiness inside of her.

"Damn, I hate being depressed."

* * *

As the final bell of the day rang, Ranma walked over to Akane's desk and got her attention, smiling slightly.

"Hi." She smiled up at him, gently placing her books in her carrying bag.

"I'm goin' to see Ryoga today. You wanna' come?"

She sighed and shook her head. "I really wish I could, Ranma. Dad's finally getting a couple of new students in today and he needs me there to help out. I'll have to go see him tomorrow. Can you do me a favor and tell him I said hi?"

He nodded. "Sure thing. I've got to go meet Ucchan now. I'll see ya' at home later."

Akane stood up and smiled adoringly after she made sure no one was looking. "Don't be too long."

That was all the incentive he needed to put his ass in gear. He met Ukyo at the stone fence by the gate a few moments later. Stepping forward, she adjusted her boy's uniform and sighed visibly, swinging her spatula over her shoulder to rest against her back. "Ready, Ran-chan?"

"Always."

She had given herself many hours to think things through. While she didn't feel up to it, she decided she had to fake some short of cheer or her moody depression was going to get real old, real fast. There was no point in feeling sorry for her self.

"You didn't do it."

Ukyo turned her head to look at him. "What?"

Ranma looked at her seriously. "You aren't to blame for what happened to Ryoga."

Shock turned to anger and she stopped walking and whirled to face him. "If that is your idea of a joke then-"

He put his hands on her shoulders. "Listen to me. You snapped at me earlier remember? I've been thinking on it all afternoon and I'm absolutely positive it wasn't you. Well… it was you, but… not. I mean…"

Ukyo took a deep breath and looked at him evenly. "What are you trying to say?"

"Basically, you were being controlled. I banished whatever that cloud, spirit…" Ranma opened and closed his mouth a few times, gesturing with one hand "_thing_ was. It had possessed you. Oh come on! Don't look at me like that. I'm not lying."

"You mean to tell me something used my body to hurt Ryoga?"

Ukyo brought her hand to her face as a wave of nausea overran her stomach. "The Shadow Warrior?"

"That's my guess."

"Oh gods. Oh gods…" Ukyo clutched her shoulders. She felt violated and angry all at the same time. If the Shadow Warrior had been standing there in front of her at that very moment there was no doubt in her mind she would have attacked him, no matter the cost.

"I… I should have been able to resist it. Fight it. Something! It was still my body that hurt him. I can't feel as though I'm completely free of blame!"

"I know how you feel," Ranma fibbed. "But what is most important right now is that you understand that you weren't at fault. When you go talk to Ryoga, have a clear conscience, ok?"

Ukyo reverted back to a thoughtful state and she nodded slowly, digesting his words. Taking her by the arm, they duo resumed their walk. For ten minutes there was silence.

_I've got to snap myself out of this or I'll have gray hairs by the time I'm twenty._ "Hey, Ranma, race ya there!"

She took off, willing her body to relax... if only slightly. Ranma followed, allowing her to stay slightly ahead of him at all times. It was a childish antic she had elected to do, but it made her feel slightly better and gave her a chance to bleed some negativity out of her head.

They ran down the streets, weaving through the light traffic of pedestrians, saying nothing, just enjoying the moment. A cool afternoon breeze ruffled Ukyo's bangs and she half smiled, feeling better than she had all day.

"You're getting soft, Ran-chan, Ukyo huffed, stopping suddenly at the central hospital's main gate. The brisk run had been just the thing she'd needed to vent some stress before seeing Ryoga. She felt more than a little certain that Ranma had lagged behind on purpose, for her benefit.

"Ranma poked her in the forehead."Hey, I was goin' easy on you!"

"Sure you were!" Her short laugh sounded genuinely amused and it set Ranma at ease.

Entering the facility, she showed her pass to the woman running the front desk who smiled warmly at her. "We're here to see Ryoga Hibiki, room 324."

She nodded and let them through, pressing the button that allowed the doors to swing open. Ukyo's mood plunged as they walked down the hall, drawing nearer to the room. Her eyes tightened and she gripped the doorknob to Ryoga's room tightly. "Ranma, please wait here for a few minutes. I need to talk to Ryoga alone."

"Ok, I'll just wait out here." He sounded slightly suspicious, but she couldn't blame him for that. He was just concerned about his former rival.

Ranma blinked as she stared at him. "You going in or what?"

She nodded, not really listening. Nervousness gripped her mind within its icy grasp yet again. Her upcoming conversation could prove to be a crucial one, maybe even a life changing one. She was as ready as she'd ever be and there might not be another time to discuss the matter. She had to go through with it! Gulping, she knocked on the door, cursing her sudden lack of courage.

"Come in."

Ukyo brushed a strand of hair from her face and opened the door. "Hi, there," she smiled, hiding her anxiety from her facial expressions. "I came to check up on you! How is your side?"

Ryoga pulled up his white hospital shirt, revealing a multitude of stitches over a long wound that appeared to be in the early stages of healing. She sat down on the bed next to him and gently touched his shoulder. Stirring slightly to face her, he winced in pain. Ukyo realized that if that blow had hit Akane like she had intended, the cut would have killed the girl instantly. The thought of doing that caused her to shudder visibly.

"I'm so sorry..." she whispered, looking at him. "Dear heaven, I'm so... so sorry..." Tears flushed from her eyes and she angrily raged over her own self-pity. "I'm such an idiot!

"It's not so bad. The doctors told me that I'll be able to hobble out of here in three days. Of course I'll have to be careful not to do anything that would break the stitches. It could still get infected."

"Three days... The day of your fight!" Ukyo's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh no… I've doomed Ranma…"

Ryoga put his hand on her arm and gave a reassuring squeeze. "Don't worry about it. Ranma will be fine."

Her face went hard as determination set in. "Ryoga, I have to know! Did you mean what you said yesterday?"

"Yes."

"How!?" How could you like a monster like me?! I almost killed you!" She rose to her feet, shaking her head. "It just doesn't make sense! I'm a liability, an untrustworthy monster of a girl who doesn't deserve your feelings."

Ryoga sighed. "You aren't a monster, Ukyo. The person who hurt me wasn't you; it was your pain, specifically the pain that had been building up inside of you for years. The Ukyo I know is a beautiful, smart girl. She would never hurt me."

Tears trickled down her face as she slowly sat down as her outburst was soundly defeated by his soothing words. Ryoga reached up and wiped away her tears and sadness. "I do care for you, Ukyo."

She shook her head softly. "Oh, Ryoga! I've done nothing but use you since we first met! Stop making me into something I'm not! I'm not a good person! You're just substituting your love for Akane onto me."

"There's more to you than that. My heart tells me to care for you and I do. I don't care if people think I'm stupid or foolish. I always follow my heart. I like you…not as a replacement, but as an equal."

"Oh, Ryoga..." Exasperated, she just looked at him, unsure of what to say.

"Could you… like me too, Ukyo?"

Ukyo, still reeling from the events of the last twenty four hours, looked utterly anguished. Ryoga was a strong, indomitable, emotionally powerful martial artist who was just as determined to find love as she was. She had never tried to deny that he was handsome and kind. Until now, the thought of dating him had never crossed her mind. Looking at the situation now though, there was no person more loyal and caring in her life than he was. His affection caused something other than pain to stir through her heart for the first time in days.

It had been Ryoga who had saved her from Toma's guard, Ryoga who had defeated her in battle only to spare her when he discovered her identity. It had been been his help she'd counted during more than one scheme aimed at tearing Ranma and Akane apart. She hadn't always treated him well and yet he had put up with it all the same.

Something rose up inside of her that threatened to burst. There was no need to think, only to act. She couldn't describe the rapid change that took place in her right then and there, but it grabbed hold like wild fire. With trembling hands, she took his and clasped them tightly, leaning forward. Trembling, she leaned forward, closing the distance between the two.

"Yes." Her lips touched tenderly with his. Her heart pounded hard inside of her ribcage and she found herself shocked at how bold she was behaving. It was her first kiss, one she had always thought would go to Ranma. Pleasurable flutters panged in her stomach as Ryoga raised his head to kiss her back, pressing his lips tightly to her own.

Cheeks flushing, she began to tremble slightly, amazed at this sudden change of events. She had fallen in love all over again. A moment later, after a series of pleasurable sensations had flickered through her body and mind; she broke the kiss and looked down at him as a wave of dizziness overcame her.

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into," she warned, whimpering, nuzzling against him, wanting him, and needing him. "If you were smart you'd forget about me."

"I guess I'm an idiot then."

Ukyo half laughed, half sobbed. "Think you handle me?"

To be loved by someone who genuinely cared. That was her only wish in life. A working girl's life was her ideal lifestyle but without love and romance it wasn't a happy one. That had been the sole reason she had chased after Ranma as adamantly as she had. Living alone, scratching out a living alone was lonely and wore on her heart. To have a strong, wonderful man admit feelings for her was a first in her life. Being a woman, she decided then, might not be as bad as she had once thought.

Ryoga stroked her cheek. "I'll be prepared this time." He raised his head and kissed her again. The kiss deepened and Ukyo passionately placed her hands on each side of his face, holding him to her. For at time, nothing existed but bliss.

Ranma stood in the doorway, peeking in, shocked at the sight before him. _Ukyo and Ryoga have found each other?_ It shocked him. Never in a million years had he seen that one coming. Whatever magic fate had bestowed upon this region of Tokyo was beyond his understand.

_I'm glad for them. It was meant to be_. He smiled happily, knocking on the door before entering. "Hey, Ryoga! How ya' feeling man?"

"I'm feeling ok, Ranma! Thank you for asking!" Ryoga frowned, slightly annoyed at the unwanted interruption. Right when he'd started to get close with Ukyo too…

Ranma eyed Ryoga's wound. "Man, that's gotta' hurt! You're stronger than I thought if you could take that kind of pain!"

A mask of guilt appeared on Ukyo's face. Ranma grimaced and decided to change the subject. _Why the hell do I always say the wrong thing_!? "So, uh', when you getting out?"

"Three days."

"That's great!" he nearly shouted. "You'll be back to normal in no time! Oh, Akane says hello. She couldn't come to see you today because she has to help Mr. Tendo with new students. She said that she's coming over tomorrow afternoon."

Ryoga nodded. "I appreciate you guys visiting. It really means a lot to me."

"Hey, what are pals for? Say, did you hear the latest? Mousse finally got smart and beat Shampoo in a formal match. They stopped by to thank me yesterday. She couldn't keep her hands off him!"

"It's about time she showed her true feelings for him," Ryoga said, making eye contact with Ukyo. "Everything happens for a reason."

She turned her head away, blushing. "I hope their happy together."

"They said they were going to stop by soon. Don't expect to see Cologne though. Apparently she's been sulking in her room and won't come out."

"No loss. She'll get over it eventually." A slight smiled crossed Ryoga's face. "It's their life to live as they please. She's lived three lifetimes and has had all the time in the world to do things her way."

Ranma looked up at the clock on the wall. Where had the time gone?! "Hey, Ryoga, I'm not trying to cut out quickly or nothin, but I'm way behind on my homework and I've got to catch or I might not pass!" _Not that it matters if I don't win this fight..._

Ryoga smiled wolfishly. "I understand. It's good to see you get your priorities straight for once!"

"Yeah. H-hey! What was that supposed to mean!?"

"I'll be right out, Ran-chan," Ukyo said, shoving him out the door. She turned to look at the lost boy. "I won't be able to see you again until you get out. If I don't open for the dinner crowd at night, I won't be able to make enough money to make ends meet this month."

"When I'm feeling better, would you let me help out? It must be hard running it by your self. I'd even work for free."

Ukyo smiled and kissed him once more. "I'd like that, but not if you're working for free. We'll talk about it after you get out." Fumbling for her school bag, she pulled out a round paper box holding a freshly made Japanese pizza. "Here, I made you a snack in case you got hungry."

"Thank you."

She zipped her bag up and headed for the door. "I'd better be going. I expect you to stop by as soon as you get out! I've still got a lot of apologizing to do."

He smiled, blushing slightly. "Count on it."

Ukyo winked. "See ya!"

Ryoga shook his head, laughing softly as the door shut behind her. Opening the box, the Japanese pizza emitted a delicious odor and he found his mouth watering. However, it was the words on the pizza, written in small characters, rather than the smell that caught his attention. It was Ukyo's way of expressing herself and this time was no exception.

The message read: I'm sorry for what I've done, Ryoga. You may sometimes get lost, but from today forward, you'll always be close to my heart.


	21. Akane’s Training

Chapter Twenty: Akane's Training

The sun was just starting to set in the horizon as Ranma and Ukyo left the hospital. Stretching his arms towards the lazy ball of warmth, she watched as a pair of doves flew by overhead, calling to each other. Even nature seemed to be in perfect harmony at moments like this. It was a pity life couldn't be like this all the time. Peace and serenity without heartache, pain, or evil. But such dreams were for a perfect world and this was not a storybook setting.

A great crushing weight lifted itself off of Ukyo's heart, and she inhaled easily, savoring the cool air. Her time with Ryoga had gone much differently than she had expected it to and her mind was still reeling as she struggled to understand how an event that had been so wrong had produced something so wonderful. Pausing from her musing, she turned and saw Ranma struggling not to make eye contact as he walked with his hands in his pockets.

Her eyes widened in realization. She knew Ranma well enough to know when he was thinking about something he was dying to talk about but too embarrassed to do so. "How much did you see, Ranma? Out with it."

"See what? What do you ya' mean?" Ranma asked, playing dumb. He quickened his pace but Ukyo kept up with him easily, grabbing the back of his ponytail.

"Oh no you don't! You know perfectly well what I mean, Ranma Saotome!" There was no trace of playfulness in her voice. She grabbed his arm and slowed him down, turning him to face her. She looked up at him expectantly, her cheeks puffing up with displeasure.

"Well, you see, I er, Uhh... wasn't sure how long I was supposta' wait in the hall so I, er.."

Ukyo whacked him over the head. "Stop babbling, jackass! I'm not mad! I just want you to tell the truth!"

"I saw you two sucking faces," Ranma muttered, rubbing his head.

Ukyo whacked him again...then again because it just felt good. "What were you doing peeping?!"

"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of! I'm glad you and Ryoga got together." Ranma took a step away from her and raised his hands as if to ward her off.

Her expression softened and she bobbed her head cutely. "Thanks Ran-chan. We'll just have to see how things go between Ryoga and I. I still feel like I don't deserve to have this happen to me though."

"You just gotta deal with the cards you're given, I guess," Ranma commented.

Ukyo poked her two pointer fingers together, embarrassed. "I'm not very good at… you know, the dating thing…"

Ranma snorted. "Trust me, neither is Ryoga. You two will be fine though, I'm sure of that."

Glancing at him, she noticed with admiration how much he had changed in the years she had known him. He clearly felt more in touch with his feelings than ever before. She didn't know what it had been that had finally caused him to wise up, but she was glad, especially for Akane. She smiled absent-mindedly knowing that was only half true. The old ache in her heart was subdued but it still existed and made its presence known. She loved Ranma still, and probably always would in some ways. She just needed time to adjust and find herself.

"Do you love him," Ranma asked.

Do you love Akane," Ukyo countered.

Ranma scratched the back of his head. "I think I do…"

"What's this 'I think I do'? How can you not know if you love her or not?!" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

Ranma thrust his hands into his pockets. "Everything is happening so fast, I just want to be sure before I go off sproutin' words of love like Kuno does. I care for her very strongly but has it evolved into love? I can't say for certain."

Ukyo nodded and closed her eyes briefly. "I think I can understand that."

That confession ended the stream of her questions. They walked silently together until they reached her restaurant. She unlocked the front door then went back and playfully punched him in the shoulder.

"Well, I for one have had more than enough excitement for one evening. Night, Ran-chan, I'm exhausted!"

"Night, Ucchan! Sleep well!"

"You too." Smiling, Ukyo went inside and shut the door. Whistling, Ranma watched the lights turn on as she made her way upstairs through her small home. Thus far it had been a chaotic week without peace and he was getting tired of it. All he wanted was to live normally and happily without having to suffer through constant hassles. While he didn't hate the fact that Nerima had made him much stronger, it wore on his nerves sometimes and tonight was no exception.

Maybe someday he and Akane would have children and then, maybe he could give them the normal life he had never been able to experience. But he was far from that point yet, at least mentally. Strong and as remarkable as he was, he was still a sixteen year old boy who had been raised without the softer guide that came from a mother's point of view. While he no longer even tried to deny the fact that he had feelings for Akane, except around their parents, he still found it hard to express himself and put his feelings and thoughts out properly. He just needed time, as all maturing boys his age did.

Walking briskly down the empty street, Ranma was nearly hurled backwards as the Shadow Warrior teleported onto the material plane before him. The brilliant flash that came along with the teleport, for a second, turned the black night into day. He turned to the bewildered teenager, folding his arms over his chest plate armor. He stared at his prey from behind that haunting metal mask that had plagued Ranma's mind for almost week.

"You are not wisely using the time I have given you. Only three days remain until our rematch and you haven't accomplished anything! This time I'll kill you for sure. Are you simply ignorant to this fact or just plain stupid? I had fond hope that you'd be more of a challenge this time around. That was the only reason I allowed you to live."

Ranma just stared, seething. "You haven't given us anything. That attack on Ukyo's mind you pulled landed Ryoga into the hospital! How big of a coward are you?

The mask stared right back, and Ranma could see his reflection within the eye-pieces that hid the eyes of a killer "What are you talking about? I did no such thing. I don't even have an ability to control someone else."

The hairs on the back of Ranma's neck stood on end. His first impulse was to call the Shadow Warrior a liar. After all, he was the current threat and Ukyo's condition had come about in the middle of it. Mad as he was though, Ranma knew that his enemy was at the very least blunt. He was already out for murder. It wouldn't make any sense to hide his attempts at it now. That meant something else was going on behind the scenes. Whatever it was, it had him concerned. The problem was he didn't have time to think on it, not with his life at stake in three days.

"I had no hand in your friend's accident. But that isn't important right now," he said, echoing Ranma's thoughts. "What is important is that your friend won't be there to interfere this time. Fortune smiled on you during each and every encounter we had in the past. But not this time, I guarantee it. This time, I'll be the one holding all the winning pieces and you'll be playing my game as I see fit."

"You may be strong but you're not invincible," Ranma retorted, standing his ground. "Move out of the way and let me pass."

The Warrior did not move. He hands fell to his sides and an audible metal click could be heard as he formed a tight fist with his right hand. "You do realize that if you do not give me a good battle then I'll tear your fiancée apart as you watch, right before you die. If I cannot gain satisfaction through fighting you, I can at least find some in your horrified eyes as you die beside her, watching her breath in her last and knowing that it was your fault."

"Shut up!" Ranma hissed like a cobra and lashed out with his fist.

The Warrior had purposely hit that nerve, testing his opponent's reaction. The fact that he knew Ranma's emotions that well spelled danger. The Warrior wasn't just a physical combatant, he knew how to twist a person's mentality against them to suit or amuse himself. He was a true nightmare in every sense of the word, especially to people like Ranma or Ryoga, who drew strength from their feelings.

The Warrior sidestepped the blow, turned to the side, and planted his knee into Ranma's stomach, doubling him over. "You are still much too weak. Use this lesson of pain I have generously provided you to improve yourself so that on the day of our match I can kill you with some sense of satisfaction. It's the only way to save your beloved woman. Your life is forfeit either way. The only real choice you have left is whether the one you love will live to mourn your passing or not."

Ranma clenched his teeth, struggling to gather his patience. He looked up at his rival from a hunched position and resisted the urge to strike at him again. "My life is not a game for you to play around with. You're going to pay… I'm going to defeat you, and when I do…"

"That, I assure you, will never happen. You know, it's almost painful to stand here and listen to the deluded gibberish that pours out of your mouth. Get out of my sight. Go salvage your wounded pride and make something of yourself before I take it away for the last time."

The Warrior vanished as Ranma climbed to his feet, massaging away the fiery pain that went nova throughout his stomach. There was no one else around. That was something at least. The only thing worse than being humiliated was being humiliated in front of others.

"I'll improve… just you watch. I'll give you a fight you'll _never _forget!"

* * *

Everyone was off doing their own favorite activity at the Tendo Dojo as Ranma walked through the front door, still rubbing at his sore stomach. Walking into the vacant kitchen, he heated up some of the dinner food Kasumi had left for him and wolfed it down with his normal frenzied motions. However, tonight he stuffed his face more to forget his infuriating encounter than from actual hunger.

_I gotta calm down, think about something else…_

Grabbing his school bag, he pulled out his books and started on his homework, biting back his frustration as he reviewed how much work he had yet to accomplish. He didn't normally worry about homework but after his run in with the Warrior, he needed something to get his mind off things.

Like teenagers around the world Ranma hated homework. His future as a martial artist was already planned out. He didn't see any reason why he had to continue his schooling. School was necessary for those who didn't know what they wanted to do with their life or for those who needed to learn math to become scientists or doctors or whatever. Teaching martial arts could be very profitable this day in age and it was an honorable profession. He knew he could be happy working like that. He wouldn't just drift by as Soun seemed to prefer to do.

As he sat there, struggling with a confusing equation, his mind drifted…

"But Ryoga doesn't have to go to school! Why are you badgering me?!" He had asked several months back during an argument with Akane. He remembered it well. She had been nagging him particularly hard that day about his lack of care for his education.

"That's his choice, Ranma. Besides, he's smart enough to get by in the world."

"Yeah, smart like a pig," Ranma retorted. "If he's so smart, why does he always fall for my stupid tricks?"

"Just because he's gullible doesn't mean he isn't smart," Akane reasoned. "You don't give your rivals enough respect, Ranma. You've lost to Ryoga before, you should remember that. Let's not forget that whole Shishi Hokodan fiasco where he had you a nervous wreck when he defeated you twice in a row."

Ranma twitched as her comment struck a nerve. Never-the-less, she did have a point. At that instant, a part of him had learned that there was more to Ryoga than he had previously realized. It still didn't convince him that school and homework were necessary for him though and he had shouted as much at Akane before he had gone to sulk in his room.

Breaking his mind away from the memory, he groaned in frustration, looking down at his Algebra homework in dismay. _I just can't get the hang of this. There's only one thing to do!_

He struck a manly pose. Desperate time's called for desperate measures and as much as he hated to do it, he realized he had no choice in the matter. _A guy's gotta' do what a guy's gotta' do!_ "Akane!"

"What?" She yelled back.

"Could you help me with my math homework?" He squeaked out, clenching his teeth.

Akane padded down the stairs more than a little shocked. He almost never did his homework. The fact that he was attempting it now clearly showed how desperate he was to keep the coming fight off of his mind for as long as possible.

"Ranma," she said shaking her head in mock exasperation, "sometimes you're just too hopeless." She sat down next to him. "Now, here's how it works…"

Akane was a wiz at math and within an hour's time she was even able to help Ranma understand the gist of the math formula needed to solve his homework. Thanks to this, he finished his homework in record time. No doubt his teacher would be shocked tomorrow, not only because of the fact that Ranma did the homework for once, but because he actually solved all the questions correctly.

Rejuvenated, he jumped up and took her hand, helping her up. His determination peaking, he realized it was time to put his plan into effect while he still had time.

"Go get changed into your Gi and meet me in the dojo," he said.

"O-ok..." She hurried upstairs, shooting him a confused look. _What is he up to?_

Ranma walked into the dojo, reviewing his plan over in his mind again to make sure everything was in order. Nodding to himself, he changed into his solid white training uniform, neatly folding his clothes and placing them off to the side.

_I think it's about time..._

* * *

"What are you up to this time, Ranma?" Akane asked as she entered the dojo, tightening her belt.

Ranma cleared his throat. "I think that you've reached your peak in martial arts, Akane. At least at this stage in your life. But, if you had another form of attack you could easily tip the scales in your favor. I believe the time has come for you to learn how to harness and fight using your ki."

"Really!? Do you think I'm ready?!"

He nodded, motion for her to come forward. _Someone's got to carry on. If I die in my next battle, she'll need a strong edge to pass on to her successor thus keeping the school strong. No matter what, I won't allow this bastard to end the Anything Goes school!_

"Cool! Where do we start?" She asked, practically bouncing up and down.

Ranma scratched his head. "Well, uh, I guess first you need to be able to feel the flow of energy around you, and then learn to feed it through your body and tap into that source. From there we can work on you harnessing it and then we can shape it into an attack. I'm not a martial arts teacher yet, but I'll do the best I can."

Akane nodded seriously. "I understand."

Ranma gestured with his hand. "Take up your normal combat stance."

She did, placing her arms in front of her rigid body, bent at the elbow with her feet spaced shoulder width apart.

Ranma shook his head. "Relax your stance a little more."

Her posture sagged a little bit. By nature she was just a little bit tense during battle, partially because of her temper. Getting her to unwind enough to sense the gentle flow of energy within nature would be a chore in itself.

"Good. Now close your eyes and look deep within yourself. I want you to try to see me using only your mind. I know it sounds impossible but trust me, the ability for you to do so is there. Let your senses do the work while your eyes rest. Look inside for that tight ball of energy within your source of strength and tap into it. It comes from the energy that flows through life, from your very soul."

Akane tried to do as he instructed, following his steps as he issued them. Immediately she sensed a problem and her brow wrinkled in concentration and frustration. As he had predicted, she was going at it all out, instead of easing into it as was required. "It's not working!"

"Don't try so hard. You have to be at peace. Relax and see with unseeing eyes. Try again."

She sighed and tried to do as she was told. She dove deep into her soul, searching for a key to the door Ranma was trying to introduce her to. Grasping clumsily, she momentarily tapped into something powerful and warm and Ranma flashed in her mind as clear as if she had been looking at him with her own eyes. Breaking her concentration, she smiled broadly, excited and confident. "I saw you! It was only for a second, but I saw you!"

"How did you feel?"

"I felt like my spirit had gone supernova and a warm sensation filled my body. All my senses went hyper for a second! It felt really weird."

"Good, that's how your supposta' feel the first time. A honed martial artist has a deeper bond with their own inner energy than most people. If you can learn to tap into your energy and use it as a guide and as a weapon, you'll become much stronger. Now, let's try it again. I want to see how long you can keep up your concentration. When you find that spark, reach for it, draw from it. That's how I manage to read the moves of lesser opponents so well. Let its energy do the work for your eyes."

Akane closed her eyes again, finding the strangely warm power that tickled her mind once more. She found her body was filled with energy, and that it stemmed from her soul, just as he had told her. Using her power as a set of eyes, she could see the flow of energy within nature, thereby seeing her fiancee' behind her eyelids.

"Can you see me?"

"Yeah." A fresh sweat sprung out on her brow.

"Ok, what am I doing right now?" He waved his right arm up and down.

"You're shaking your arm up and down."

"Good." He stood on one foot. "What am I doing now?"

Akane groaned and fell to her knee's in disappointment. "I lost it! I just couldn't keep up my concentration. It's amazing how much mental willpower and strength it takes to keep the connection open."

"That's ok. Rest for a minute then we'll try it again. You're doing very well. This isn't the method I was taught… come to think of it, I never really got a real training session, I just took what the ghoul taught me and learned the rest in the heat of battle. I'm giving you tips using idea's I've been coming up with. I've been working out the details in how to train you to use Ki for a while now."

Akane wiped her brow and chuckled. "Well then teacher, I guess I owe you a hundred percent then! Let's try it again!"

For the next couple of hours they trained and each time Akane's focus would last just a little longer than it did the time before. While her mastery of martial arts might have gone sluggishly compared to some of the other people Ranma had met over his lifetime, she picked up on ki faster than anyone else he had ever known. At her prime, Akane was just about equal to Shampoo and Ukyo, but with her natural talents concerning Ki training, she would be dancing circles around them in no time.

"Ok, what am I doing now?"

"You're bouncing around like a chicken, silly. Stay serious, I'm trying to concentrate!"

"How about now?"

She giggled. "You're standing on your head."

Abruptly, Ranma ran forward, throwing a half speed punch aimed at her stomach. With a fluid motion Akane dove to the side, grabbed his arm and pinned it behind his back. Opening her eyes, she nearly sank with exhaustion but the sight of how she had defused Ranma brought a look of awe and shock to her face.

"I saw you coming! I knew where you were going to attack! I read your moves, Ranma! I can't believe it!"

Ranma knelt by her side and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You did great! Your concentration lasted five minutes straight that time! I think that's enough training for tonight though, don't you think so, Akane?"

"Uhhhh, I'm pooped!"

"Allow me." Ranma grinned as he picked her up and carried her into the house.

"Put me down you jerk." She giggled.

"Can't do that." Ranma jumped up the stairs and took her to her room, pushing the door open with his foot. He laid her on the bed then sat next to her, stroking her hair affectionately. Everyone else was settling down for the night so he could afford himself a few moments to drop his guard and show her some affection.

"I could have made it to my room on my own you know." She put her head on his shoulder, playfully pulling on his pigtail.

"I couldn't bear the thought of you over exerting yourself any further." He gently brushed her cheek with his hand. Her skin, so soft and so wonderful, it heightened her beauty and, as he stared at her out of the corner of his eyes, he couldn't help but blush. "I take back ever calling you un-cute."

"Mmmmmm." She leaned against him, enjoying his touch. "I take back ever calling you a pervert. You are still a jerk though."

He glanced at her out of half open eyes. "Oh gee, thanks."

"Come here you pervert!" She giggled again as she pulled him down for a kiss. He held her in his arms for what seemed like an eternity, just letting himself explore what it was like to hold someone you loved without having to worry about embarrassing interruptions or attacks from crazy admirers. Eventually though, he felt Akane's breathing slow down, signaling her ascension into the dream world. She had fallen fast asleep in his arms, he realized with a blush.

"If I'd only see what a wonderful person you were two years ago, Akane." He gently laid her head down on her pillow then covered her form in a blanket. He silently slid out of her room, shutting off the light and closing the door as he left.

* * *

He didn't go straight to bed, as he probably should have. Returning to the dojo, he stared at the walls and saw the face of the Shadow Warrior glaring at him from the polished surface of the wood. The image was almost too real and it haunted him as that emotionless metal mask watched him at every turn. It was an evil mask; it was filled with more loathing and hatred than Ranma thought was possible.

The scary thing wasnt that the mask was evil, he quickly reversed in his mind, growing angrier. It was the coward who hid behind it. If he wasn't careful, that mask would be the last thing he'd ever see.

"Shit!" Temper flaring, he lashed out with his fist, cracking a hole through the center of the mirage, which, in reality, happened to be the wall of the training hall. His fist passed through the wood easily, and he felt the cool night air upon his stinging knuckles.

"Damn you! I won't lose!" Ranma began to work out, fueling his tired body with the words his newest and most hated nemesis had said to him. He dodged; pulling every ounce of speed he could from his limbs and boxed against his own shadow, pretending it was the Shadow Warrior. His fists and feet lashed out as his dance of skill reached a peak intensity.

"You think you're so strong don't'cha?! You think I'm weak! I'll show you!" He vented his anger out via a combat cry and performed a mid-air snap kick.

Normality was not a word Ranma was familiar with. A life of constant travel on the road with his scheming, often insensitive father had been extreme in itself. Once he had arrived in Nerima and began attending school like a normal student and staying in a house like a normal kid, he'd incorrectly expected things to tone down a bit. Instead everything had just gotten crazier. They kept getting crazier and in some cases, more dangerous.

Tiring as this existence could sometimes be, he found himself feeling happier than he ever had until this Warrior business had started. The jerk played by his own rules and Ranma was forced to adapt to situations no normal teenager should ever have to face. Gone forever were the crazy, carefree antics he had come to experience over the last two years. He knew it deep within his core. It was time to take life a bit more serious and it was time to fight for his life.

The Warrior was just the tip of the iceberg. Something told him that in the back of his mind and he felt chilled to the bone. If he indeed survived this trial, would there be yet more terrible things for him to face in the future? He absolutely did not want to think about that.

"Shit. Shit! _Shit_!" Ranma slammed his fist into the reinforced wooden floor over and over again before exertion set in and he fell backwards onto his back, limbs stretched out. Sighing, he looked up at the non-descriptive ceiling.

"At least mom isn't here right now. She'd be worried sick and I wouldn't want to put her through that kind of stress and pain, not after being separated from her family for fifteen years."

He reviewed Akane's training from before and nodded his head in silent approval of his teaching techniques. "She's got a firm grip on it. If something happens to me, the school will be fine. Either one of the ancient bags should be able to help her build on what I've shown her. Pretty responsible of me, wasn't it, pop? Training her and all. Maybe you should take lessons from me for once."

Chuckling without a trace of humor the thoroughly exhausted youth fell asleep where he lay, a slight cool night air rising from the wooden boards to cool his sweat drenched skin.


	22. Chapter Twenty One: Searching For An Edg

Chapter Twenty One: Searching For an Edge

The sun was just a slight sliver on the horizon when Ranma awoke to train himself in the backyard. Stiff from sleeping on the hard wood all night, he stretched thoroughly, working the kinks from his body. He knew he had to keep up his rigorous training in the morning, but it would be hard trying to compensate for Ryoga's absence. Training was always easier with two people.

The day wore on. Kuno challenged him at school and got beat up as was custom, but, as Ranma past to enter the school, Kuno had actually wished him good luck in his fight with the Warrior. Ranma didn't turn around. He knew that if he had seen a look of pity in his rival's eye he would have lost it then and there. He hated when people felt sorry for him, it made him feel weak.

He struggled to stay awake in class, and Akane whacked him with a pencil when he dosed off.

At lunch time, Ukyo came and sat with Ranma and Akane and the three friends joked and horsed around, throwing a bit of rivalry in for flavor. It was the best lunch Ranma had had in a long time and it did wonders for his rising anxiety. He was even able to ignore the looks of jealousy that his fellow male peers gave him. Akane was still the most popular girl in the school, against her will of course. Though they now kept a safe distance away because of her fiancée, it was no secret that most of the male student body still wanted to date with her.

"I'm going to go see Ryoga today," Akane told him, smoothing her sky blue dress out on the ground around her. "I'm sure he must be getting lonely in there all by himself."

Full from lunch, Ukyo lay down on the grass and sighed, watching the lazy clouds float overhead. "Tell him I said hi, will you?"

"Sure. Say, Ranma, what are your plans for today?"

Placing his hand over his heart, he wondered if he would have what it took to beat the most fearsome enemy he'd ever encountered. Alone. "To find an edge against this bastard."

Akane and Ukyo stared at one another in confusion but left him to his thoughts.

* * *

After school Akane left for the hospital, bidding her friends farewell for another day. Signing in at the visitor center's main desk, she walked down the 324 hall and knocked on Ryoga's door, adjusting her dress and brushing a hand through her hair.

"Come in."

"Hi there!" She said, opening the door and smiling warmly at her friend lying in bed. "How are you feeling today, Ryoga?"

He looked up at her and smiled back, trying to raise himself up a bit. "Akane, hi! Much better today, thanks. The nurse just gave me some pain killer/knockout medicine."

Her soft expression, the light sheen of her hair, the glow in her eyes… Even now, after all that had happened, it was hard to not take her hand and try to confess his feelings for her. She was a beautiful girl and for two years, winning her over had been his only goal in life. But he was a better man now, and he acknowledged Ranma's claim on her. But a man's feelings were strong indeed and it would take quite some time for him to get adjusted to viewing her as just a friend.

Akane pulled up a stool and sat down next to his bed. "You must get lonely with no one around to talk to all day."

"Well, I do miss my friends but it's not so bad. When you get lost and wander around as much as I do, you learn to get used to isolation. Besides, I'm asleep most of the time anyway."

Akane nodded as Ryoga's eyes droop slightly. His medicine was powerful, and had probably started to take effect already. "I'm glad you and Ukyo found each other. Although, I wish it had happened under different circumstances."

"I just hope I can make her happy." He sighed doubtfully.

Akane shook her head. "You already have, Ryoga. You're all she talked about at lunch today. She can't keep you out of her mind."

"R-really?"

Akane smiled at him. "Yep. You two are a match made in heaven! I expect invitations to the wedding."

Ryoga blushed. "It's a bit early for that, Akane. It took all my willpower just to tell her I had feelings for her."

She giggled. "You are the only boy I know who can smash down telephone poles without a second thought and yet when it comes to a girl you like, your clueless. But its who you are, and I know you have a good heart."

"Hey, I'm not about to rush into anything here, that's all! How are things between you and Ranma?"

"Great! He's showing me how to fight with ki!"

"Good for you Akane! Ki can be a valuable ally in a fight so long as you don't misuse it. Martial artists have died because they tried to harness too much power too quickly, so keep that in mind. It makes you feel so strong and many people crave that feeling, so they train more and more to heighten their strength. It can be as deadly and addictive as a drug."

"I'll be careful. After all, Ranma's teaching me. He says that learning your guy's ki attacks wasn't possible."

Ryoga thought for a second before answering. "That makes sense. My Shishi Hoko-Dan is very powerful, and its perfect form is even more powerful than Ranma's Moko Takabisha." There was a trace of bragging in his voice.

"But it's not a move a person should really want to master. It's because it feeds off my darkest emotions and thoughts. Dark feelings are usually more powerful than positive emotions, at least in the beginning. But it isn't a really practical attack because the full version drains too much of my strength too quickly. Ranma's Hiryu Shoten Ha is also out of the question because you have to have complete control over your emotions. You have to stay cool in battle and feel no fear, no rage, just the calm energy around you. That's something you and I don't always know how to do, especially in combat. You are probably better off to just create your own attack."

"That's going to be tough," Akane noted.

Ryoga nodded. "It does take a lot of determination." He yawned deeply. "Sorry. That was rude of me."

Akane smiled down at him and patted him on the shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It look's like your fighting to stay awake. You get some rest. I have to go home and do some homework anyway."

"Ok. Bye, Akane. I'll see you later. I'll be out of here soon and I'll come by to see you again." He laid his head back down on the pillow and fell fast asleep, succumbing to the drowsy pull of the drugs within his system. Akane in an almost sisterly fashion, pulled his blanket up around his shoulders.

Ryoga was a true fighter, she decided on the way home. To survive so many situations within a mere week's time was a true test on a person's soul and he had survived it all, maintaining his sanity and kind emotions just as she knew he would.

She gently stroked his cheek for a moment. _Rest up, good-hearted Ryoga, my dearest friend. You will never be alone again. Always remember, you have friends here who love you._

Brushing a rouge strand of hair back behind her ear, Akane began to hum a tune, warding off the fear for her fiancé's life that had been plaguing her mind during the quiet moments of the day.

After dinner Ranma and Akane went off to train again. Ranma applied even more effort into his teachings than before, and he was far stricter with her than he had been the previous night. The impending fight was only a hairsbreadth away, which left him very little time to help her train. Ryoga was going to be released sometime in the late morning before the fight but in his weakened state he wouldn't be of any help.

This time, he'd be going at it alone. He couldn't afford to make mistakes again, because there would be no relief to cover for him if he did. Coldness settled in the pit of his stomach as he watched Akane train. He'd be fighting one-on-one against a warrior who seemed to be invincible in all forms of the word. All week he had trained and gone about his normal life, trying to push the feeling of doom from his mind. But as the hour of fate approached, he couldn't avoid it any longer. He felt trapped, like a caged rat. He had run clear out of options and plans. He didn't have an ace in hole this time.

He shook his head violently. Akane, as the successor of the Anything Goes School needed his help and he once again began to instruct her, filling her head with as much knowledge as she could possibly handle. By the time they stopped for the night, she could stay focused for over ten minutes, more than enough time to start harnessing the power inside of her body into something marvelous. He made a mental note to ask Cologne or Happosai to instruct her further in the event of his death.

"You're doing very well, Akane! By tomorrow we'll be able to start harnessing ki so you can invent an attack."

"Sounds good!" _I'll finally be better than Shampoo!_ After that, she went to go take a shower, and for some reason, her exaggerated, egotistical laughter all the way up the stairs gave him the chills.

Still, it occurred to him that she was trying overly hard to appear brave in his presence. The fact that the fight was coming hadn't been lost to her. She clearly fought her own fear with her love for her fiancé'. He had always been there to save her, time after time and besides, though he had lost fights before, he never lost a second time to the same person.

_He always bragged how the same attack never worked on him twice. I believe in you, Ranma._ Akane felt a resurgence of confidence, and she tried to convince herself that he would win against his most resourceful and mysterious opponent yet.

The warm, soothing water fell across her lithe, toned body, revitalizing and refreshing her. It cheered her up tremendously and she turned up the hot water a notch, as the hot water un-kinked her muscles.

_Heaven_, she thought, throwing her short blue hair back, _simply heaven._

Drying her body off, she went down to the living room where Ranma was watching TV at the kitchen table, munching on some popcorn. She came into the room smelling of shampoo and dried off her hair with a yellow towel, wrapping it around her head like a turban. "Whatcha' watching?"

"Some scary movie 'bout some dead guy in a hockey mask. Kinda cheesy really," Ranma answered.

Akane sat on his lap, surprising him. Inside she wanted to cry. What if she never got to hold him again? "Scary movies frighten me."

"Are you sure it's ok to do this?" he whispered. "I mean, with our parents in the house, they could come in and see us like this. You know they'd try to have us married on the spot."

Akane nuzzled against him, needing him so badly. Looking into his eye's she almost couldn't contain her affection for him. Her Ranma, her protector and her lover. "It's ok this time."

Ranma nodded as she wrapped her arms around his trim waist. He enjoyed snuggling with her, and held her close. She smelled so sweet, especially after a refreshing bath and he could feel the heat from her body radiate onto his. She was so intoxicatingly beautiful and he found himself watching her more than the movie.

As they watched the movie and it drew into more graphic and gristly scenes, Akane's grip on him gradually tightened. He didn't really notice until her loving embrace had turned into something resembling a strangle hold. "Erk! Akane...loosen up your grip! I can't... I can't breath!"

Akane released her grip and flushed a furious red. "Oh! Sorry, Ranma. It's just..."

"Scary movies and monsters scare you. Yeah, I know. So do ghosts and demons." Ranma continued to drone on, ticked off items on his fingers.

Akane bit her lip. _Those things scare me but the fear of losing you scares me even more... That's all I could think about as I watch these people die on TV._

Ranma cleared his throat. "Listen, it's getting pretty late and the movie is almost over so why don't you go to bed?"

She opened her mouth to protest.

"Akane," Ranma said cutting her off, "You trained real hard today and I don't think you know how tired you really are. If you don't go and get your rest you won't be able to concentrate in school tomorrow. You're the brains in this outfit, so learn all you can."

_He's right but..._ "Ok, Ranma, I guess your right. I'll see you in the morning."

Ranma blinked in surprise. (She's actually listening to me! I can't believe it!) "Uh, right. G'night Akane."

She rose from his lap gently and winked at him, as she adjusted her pajama bottoms and softly padded out of the room and up the stairs. The sweet smell of her body and the shampoo from her hair trailed back and he inhaled, listening as she closed the door to her room and went to sleep.

He diverted his attention back to the movie. "Geez this movie is corny! How in the world could Akane be scared?"

He watched as the killer got chained down at the bottom of the lake. He yawned and turned off the TV, stretching. "All these movies end the same. I'm not missing much."

His fear returned like lighting as his mind was once again free from distraction. Flipping to his feet, he went outside and jumped onto the roof to think in peace. The light from the full moon radiated across his form as if to sooth him with its mystical light. Leaning back, he put his hands behind his head and stared up into the stars, searching through the vast creation for a key to victory. He relaxed despite himself, listening to the distant sound of a train as it passed through on the other side of the city. From the edge of the neighborhood, a dog called out.

"There's got to be something I can do. I have to find an edge..."

A shape landed silently several feet away from him. Bathed in moonlight, Ranma had no trouble telling that it was Happosai. The ancient man's impressive aura alone gave that away. Sitting down beside Ranma, he lit his tobacco pipe and puffed smoke into the night sky, relaxing with an audible sigh of comfort. He sat looking up at the stars, saying nothing, enjoying the sound of the insects and distant traffic throughout Tokyo.

"Hey, old freak."

Happosai did not respond. He seemed content to just sit there, staring off into space, and it annoyed Ranma to no end since he had come up to the roof be alone.

"What do ya' want, old man?" he asked with a rich dose of irritation.

"I'm here to comfort you," Happosai said nonchalantly, looking at his fingernails. "I know what you're going through right now. I've been there many times in my long life. It's hard not to worry about dying in battle. It never gets any easier to deal with, and I don't want you to lose your head over all this."

Ranma chuckled. "Don't tell me you're actually worried about me?!" He was about to make a smart ass remark when he saw Happosai's truthful expression. It was rare for Happosai to take anything seriously unless he was pissed off and for once, Ranma had the good sense to keep further comments to himself. He was old and, as the general rule went, the few times he uttered good advice it had been in Ranma's interest to pay heed to it.

"Everyone forms attacks based on how they've been raised, who they keep in contact with on a day-to-day basis, the environment in which they've spent the most time in, and how their body and mind operates. You, for example, cannot master the perfect Shishi Hokodan, just as Ryoga could never master the Hiryu Shouten Ha. It doesn't fit your characters or personalities. I wish I had a technique I could teach you to tip the balance in your favor, but the Hiryu Shouten Ha is the most powerful move I know of."

He sighed, gripping his tobacco pipe tightly. "You'll be on your own, I'm afraid. And despite our differences, that's one situation a master never wants to leave his student in."

"What the hell can I do?!" Ranma ran his fingers through his hair in frustration.

Happosai didn't respond immediately. Taking several long puffs, he leaned back and closed his eyes. "The power is in your fists. That is where you'll find an edge. The Anything Goes School draws heavily from techniques which focus on punches, as you well know. Use that knowledge to your advantage."

Ranma's hopes fell. "I don't understand."

Happosai patted Ranma's leg with his small hand. "You will, eventually. For what it's worth, I don't think you are going to lose. You have the aura of a winner around your soul, always have. This opponent can be defeated despite his impressive battle aura and skill. You will find a way, just as you did against Kirin, Toma, Herb, and countless others who were stronger and faster than yourself. So long as you hold onto your ferocity, you should be fine."

"You really think so," Ranma cocked his head and looked down at the little master.

"Of course, m'boy!" Happosai slapped Ranma's leg. "Some of the greatest martial arts attacks were invented in the heat of a life or death battle. When you are backed into a corner with nowhere to go is when you're most likely to save your own life.

Ranma gave him a half smile. "Thanks, old man. You just gained a little bit of respect from me."

"Does that mean you'll be joining me on tonight's raid?" Happosai asked hopefully, eye's growing large with hope. "I spotted a really sweet pair of panties hanging out to dry about three blocks away!"

Ranma rolled his eyes and turned his head away. "I think you should go before I retract my last statement old man…"

* * *

Ukyo finished setting the tables for the following morning and collapsed into one of the chairs with a loud sigh, wiping the sweat from her brow. _Uh! this is tough to do day after day! Of course no one ever said that running a restaurant was easy work. I think I'll give Ryoga's offer to help me out some serious consideration._

She got up and walked past the kitchen to the stairs and slowly walked up to her bed room, removing her work clothes and putting them in her hamper by the door. She picked up a framed picture of Ryoga and Ranma posing at the last Christmas party as she passed her dresser.

"He is so handsome! And he looks so much like Ranma it's uncanny!"

_Is that why you like him?_ She asked herself_. Is it because he looks like the man you lost?_

"No, that's not it," she decided. "Ranma is handsome but too tough acting sometimes. Ryoga's handsome and tough, and certainly determined and honorable… but he has a nervous, shy side that is just so appealing. It was frustrating to deal with when I used to try and use him to break Akane and Ranma up, but when I view it in a different light, it fits him."

She went and sat on her bed. Reaching under the bed she pulled out a newly built spatula she had been constructing and inspected its craftsmanship. She had spent the last few nights creating it, molding it with a craftswoman's touch. Being a chief, as every member of her family before her had also been, she had learned to make spatulas as a small child and only the utmost care could be applied to a combat spatula as big as hers. It was a family tradition, passed down through all the chefs, and she didn't have the right to disrespect the art.

The first one she had made had been destroyed when the "Ghost of Furinkan high" had attacked. She had been devastated then but had almost immediately begun construction of a new one to raise her spirits. Then that one had been destroyed at Ryoga's hands. Hopefully this one would enjoy a better fate.

Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out one of Ryoga's bandanna's that she had found imbedded into the wall of the school after one of his and Ranma's fights. She tied it in a knot around the end of the Spatula, patting it affectionately. She set the finished weapon against the wall and undressed, slipping gently into her silk Pj's. The whisper of the cool cloth sliding over her soft skin bought a contented sigh to her lips.

_Ryoga's getting out the day after tomorrow_. She thought trying to control her excitement and apprehension. She didn't know what would come out of all this mess and she didn't know how long it would take to get over the guilt at having almost killed him. The jumble of emotions left her lightheaded and she fell back into her bed, sighing and draping her forearm over her eyes.

_I'm going to spend every free moment I can with him to make up for everything!_ She curled up on her bed, allowing her warm thoughts to carry her to sleep.


	23. The Deciding Fight: Victory or Annihilat

Chapter Twenty Two: The Deciding Fight: Victory or Annihilation!

Mousse with Ryoga, recapping on old adventures as he and Shampoo sat in the hospital room, chatted pleasantly. Ryoga had been in the hospital for three days and the stiffness in his muscles was growing very annoying. Still, he could feel his side healing nicely so he wasn't complaining too much. It was the lack of doing anything, the lack of training that was driving him stir crazy. He was used to being active and lying in a cramped room was nothing short of torture.

"How is Ryoga doing?" Shampoo asked.

"Pretty good. I get to get out today!" He couldn't keep the eagerness from his voice. He had never been one for hospitals or Doctors to being with.

"Is good news! Shampoo bring you Ramen to eat after Shampoo hear how bad hospital food is." She handed him a bowl and a pair of chop sticks.

"Thanks Shampoo! Yeah, the food here is terrible. Sometimes I think they make it from toxic garbage." He slurped up some of the noodles. "Mmmmmm! This is delicious Shampoo. Thank you."

"Is welcome." Shampoo smiled an incredibly cute smile and Ryoga could tell why Mousse had the hots for her. Her exotic features were simply intoxicating.

"I'm glad to see that you two have finally fallen in love with each other, Mousse. I know we haven't been the best of friends but I hope we can all start over."

Mousse nodded. "We've always worked better as a team, haven't we? Remember that time we teamed up against Ranma? We did pretty well then."

Ryoga grimaced. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that. We fumbled that up pretty bad."

"Shampoo sorry she called Ryoga pig boy all the time. Shampoo know living with curse isn't easy."

"Yeah, sometimes its hell," Mousse agreed. "Cursed people should stick together!"

A nurse came into the room, knocking softly on the door's frame. "Good morning, Mr. Hibiki. Ready to go home?" She smiled down at him. "Everything is in order if you're ready."

"I sure am!" Ryoga jumped to his feet to his feet and instantly felt a stab of pain that nearly brought him to his knee's, sapping his enthusiasm straight out from his core. A burning sensation gripped his wound with the fury of hell itself, and bile rose up in the back of his throat. He gritted his teeth to keep from screaming.

The nurse gave him a pitying look. "Let's have a look at that wound." She pulled up his shirt and inspected the source of his torment. "It's healing slowly," she said. "You should be good as new in a few weeks. Now listen, the reason we're releasing you early is because we've done all we could do with the treatment and stitching. I want you take it easy and relax for a while. Absolutely no martial arts practice for at least a few months! Otherwise your wound will just open up and get infected."

"Yes ma'am..." Ryoga grumbled.

She shot him a knowing look. "I understand how you feel about the matter but please stick to my instructions. It's for your own good."

Shampoo and Mousse could sympathize with their wounded friend, both being martial artist themselves. Not being able to practice martial arts was like not being able to breath. But they also knew that the doctor's words were right. If Ryoga's wound opened up again due to a serious blow, it could damage his internal organs and put his very life at stake.

"Ranma and Akane already in school. Shampoo and Mousse take Ryoga home so he no get lost," Shampoo offered, rising to her feet, hand-in-hand with Mousse.

"Thanks you two. Could you go wait in the waiting room? I'll be out in a minute. "He turned back to the nurse. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miss Nako." He bowed his head.

"You are most welcome, Mr. Hibiki. Take care of yourself." She bowed back with a little smile on her face. She shut the door behind her giving him the privacy he needed.

He pulled out a sleeveless yellow shirt and slid it on over his head, then put on his black pants and shoes, feeling the cool fabric against his skin. Finally and with great care, he retied his bandanna around his head. When the knot had tightened snugly around his head, he once again felt like his old self. Ryoga Hibiki was back in action! It was so good to be getting out that he almost forgot he was injured and was rewarded with another jolt of pain.

_Damn it. Gotta remember to take it easy._

Opening the door, he walked out into the lobby, trying to drive the pain his wound was causing from his mind. Shampoo and Mousse sat in the main waiting lounge whispering little words of love in Chinese in each other's ear and failed to notice his arrival. Both of them giggled and placed their hands over each other's. Ryoga blushed and cleared his throat, adverting his eyes. "You guys ready?" he asked, adjusting his shirt.

The Chinese couple nodded and rose. Shampoo adjusted her hair, pushing her long locks off of her shoulder. "We be going now."

Ryoga spread his arms out wide when they signed out and left the hospital. "Its so wonderful to be moving around again!" He threw a couple of practice punches in the air with an expression of total joy written on his face. Then realization hit him like a ton of bricks, smashing his happy mood. "Today's the day of the fight! I completely forgot! You idiot, Ryoga! There's no way Ranma will win on his own… and I'm too weak to help him! What am I going to do?!"

He smelled the scent of doom approaching in the wind and paled visibly. The Shadow Warrior was coming to finish what he had started, and Ranma didn't stand a chance of winning! He tensed up and his wound screamed at him as spikes of pain protested the action.

"What wrong Ryoga? You look upset." Shampoo jogged up to him and put her hand on his shoulder in concern.

"Uh... nothing my side hurts that's all."

"Hiya! We get you home soon then you rest, ok?"

Ryoga nodded absentmindedly. _I've got to think of something! There must be a solution! There always is!_

They made it to the Tendo residence sooner than Ryoga expected. Kasumi was there to greet him. "Welcome home Ryoga," she said letting them in through the front door. "How are you feeling?" Though cheerful as always, it felt a bit more forced, a bit too heavy to suit her.

"Much better thanks. Uh, where is Mr. Tendo and Mr. Saotome?"

"Oh, they left to go watch Ranma's fight at school. They looked very worried. Poor father is under so much tension and stress. Its not good for his health."

"You had better go rest. You need to get your strength back," Mousse said. "Ranma's gonna be fine, I'm sure of it."

"I can't rest when Ranma's going to fight a battle he's sure to lose! This isn't an enemy he can defeat on his own! I fought the Shadow Warrior before, I know!"

"Then maybe Kuno help him or perhaps Akane," Shampoo suggested.

"No! Ranma's honor bound to fight this with only one other person. Me. And that's only because I involved myself in the first fight. Besides, no one else is strong enough to do any good and they'd only be getting themselves killed. I've got to help him!"

"No way, Ryoga!" Mousse said, grabbing hold of his arm. "Absolutely not! You're still hurt! You'd only injure yourself further by getting involved!"

"My mind is made up! Please take me to the high school. I'll take full responsibility for myself. You two are martial artists too! You have no right to take this fight from me, no matter what shape I'm in! Please! Help me!"

"Oh my!" Kasumi said. A worried expression crossed her face. She watched the younger teen's reactions, not knowing what to do or say in such a situation. Deep inside she was very proud of Ryoga and his bravery against such horrible odds. If the other two wouldn't help him she decided then that she would. He was helping his new found friend to survive against a terrible crisis. A small, proud smile worked its way on her face.

Mousse sighed, knowing the lost boy was right. "Ok, Ryoga. Even though we don't like it, we'll take you. You do realize that in your present condition you might not survive a second battle with the Shadow Warrior."

"For a martial artist there is no greater honor than to die in combat," Ryoga stated simply. "But the good news is that I have no intention of dying… or letting Ranma lose his fool head, either."

Shampoo smiled grimly. "You should have been born Chinese Amazon, Ryoga. You very brave." She kissed his forehead. "Everything changing now and all we can do is hold on for ride. No matter what happen now, nothing is ever being the same again."

"Gone are the days of simple youth," Mousse lamented, sighing.

"Are you coming, Kasumi?" Ryoga asked, turning to face her, gripping the doorframe frantically.

"Yes. The others will need someone to look after them, especially father. I'm sure he's a nervous wreck right now."

Ryoga looked up at the clock. It read 4:00. The time of reckoning was at hand. "Let's go before it's too late!"

Sitting with the ever annoying Mr. Sagisu, the Warrior finished the glass of sake he had been using to ward off a headache and looked at his watch. Abruptly, a small, wicked smile creased his otherwise neutral facial features. _4:00. At last…_

Mr. Sagisu tipped back another beer which only caused him to rant on even more about whatever ridiculous matter he had been speaking of. "And so, the museum owner simply refused to accept that I was right about that detail concerning the armor worn by knights in the first crusade! Can you believe that?"

He laughed for a moment before his slowed mind registered that his companion wasn't even paying attention to his ramblings. "Um... are you alright?"

The Warrior rose to his feet, grinning wildly. "I have pressing matters of grave importance to deal with. I'll be going now."

More than a little drunk, Mr. Sagisu merely shrugged and raised his bottle in a salute. "Best of luck then."

His smiled widened to almost devilish proportions. "Luck will not be necessary."

Rushing to his room, he laid his armor out on the bed and stroked it in an almost loving fashion, viewing his reflection in the breastplate. With almost ceremonial grace, he attached his rebuilt armor piece by piece, strapping each part snuggly to his fit body, pulling and adjusting the straps that bound the pieces to his body. Slowly, he donned his helmet and took a deep breath, feeling complete again. Flexing his gauntlet covered fist, he laughed loudly, teleporting away from the hotel with speed beyond recognition. The blast radius resulting from his departure tore the room to shreds, crushing his bed and hurling chairs through the walls, startling the guests in the room's on either side of his own.

_It is time! I'm coming for you, Ranma!_

* * *

Ranma hadn't been able to concentrate on his work all day. He just sat at his desk with a worried expression on his face, rolling his pencil back and forth. Akane and Ukyo had tried to ease his nerves by teasing him and talking to him playfully but they failed to cheer him up. He was so tense that he had even refused to eat at lunch time. He just sat with them silently, staring off into space. His face clearly showed he was reflecting on the issues of life and death, and wondering which would be his fate at the end of the battle.

This might be his last few hours on Earth. This fact had terrified him all week, more so as each day drew to a close. He tried to compose himself as he went through his afternoon classes, but it was no use. Time seemed to speed up, mocking him. The hours flew by like seconds. All day long teachers and students had bathed him with looks of pity and that had only angered him further. His homeroom teacher had offered to call the police and have the man arrested but Ranma knew that any person who interfered would only end up maimed or dead. No conventional power or weapon could stop the Shadow Warrior.

He wisely refused the teacher's offer. This was his battle. He had started it, had agreed to the Warrior's terms, and who was honor bound to see the fight to the finish no matter what the cost. Though he was indeed terrified, there was no way out. He would not go down like a coward that much was certain.

When school was over Ranma, Akane, and Ukyo went out to the soccer field that would once again serve as the battleground. The entire school, both teachers and students alike, followed, none uttering their usual enthusiastic cheers like they usually did at Ranma's other fights. They all knew what to expect now. A battle for one's life was no cause for celebration or cheer. Ranma saw Kuno and Kodachi at the sidelines and they waved to him. To his relief they gazed at him not with looks of pity but with admiration. Kodachi had tears in her eyes but even she appreciated his bravery and determination enough to keep her distance

Soun and Genma were already there and they rushed forward to meet him. Soun wished him luck trying unsuccessfully to hold back a geyser of tears. "I believe in you son. All of us are here for you. Trust in the Anything Goes art, it will not fail you."

Genma hugged Ranma, putting as much fatherly love into his embrace as he could. The affection was something he hadn't done in a great many years. "Don't you dare lose boy!" he told his son fiercely. "Remember that I love you and no matter what."

Ranma's jaw tightened. "I won't lose."

He turned and gave Ukyo a hug. He noted that she was crying and he poked her in the forehead. "Don't cry Ucchan, I won't lose."

"I know Ran-chan, I have faith. Go to Akane." She wiped her eyes and closed her mouth, but her bottom lip still trembled. "She needs you more than we do right now…"

Ranma turned and walked up to Akane who looked up at him, struggling not to cry. He gently placed his hands on her shoulders and looked her square in the eyes, liquid gray's that knew nothing but love and fear for the steel blue eyes they gazed back into.

Ranma took a deep breath. "After I fought Saffron in Phoenix Mountain, I held you in my arms, scared that I was going to lose you. In my mind I told myself how I cared for you, though no words came from my mouth. I was too scared to say those words out loud. Well, I'm smarter now, or perhaps I'm just so scared that I don't care about later repercussions. Either way, I understand the truth now."

"Ranma…" She said as tears trickled down her face. His lips found hers inviting and they embraced for what could possibly be the last time. They clung to each other tightly, hearts joining as one, sharing all the love in their hearts with one another.

He placed his mouth near her ear and cried a single tear which trickle down his cheeks to impact against her neck. "I care for you so very much, Akane. Whatever happens, please don't forget me."

He felt the air behind him become heavy with evil power and he gently pushed away from his fiancée, stepping forward onto the field of battle to fight for his very life.

Akane put her hands to her mouth and called out to his back. "I'll wait for you, no matter what! A hundred years if that's what it takes! But I know you will win. You can do this, Ranma! I believe in you!" Then she did start to cry, and did so until her very form shook. Ukyo wrapped her arms around Akane's shoulders and held her friend tightly, giving what small comfort she could.

Ranma marveled at one positive effect that had occurred as a result of the last week and a half. The Warrior had brought them all closer together. Where the two girls had been arguing and fighting a week ago, now they had found a newly forged friendship. This fact was lost to all of them, and they probably didn't notice how much things had changed, but it was one small ray of light that the Shadow Warrior's dark ambition had carried with it on his trip to Tokyo.

An invisible shockwave tore through the short grass and pummeled Ranma's senses with a fearsome barrage as the Shadow Warrior materializing before him, emerging from energy streams that parted around him like water. He rose from a kneeling position like a majestic titan, energy playing off of his armor as it sparkled in the afternoon sun. Ranma motioned for the onlookers to step back to a safe distance as he steadied his resolve.

"So you showed up after all. Pity, I think it would have been more fun hunting you down. It would surely have been more entertaining than witnessing your upcoming feeble attempt to stave off death."

Ranma just looked at him, offering no reply.

He folded his arms across his chest, grunting almost begrudgingly_. "_I do have to commend you for not getting the authorities involved. You've saved a lot of lives by being smart. I suppose there's also something to be said for your bravery in showing up at all. I award you a token of respect, Ranma."

"Was there ever any doubt that I'd come?" Ranma asked. Containing his fear, he tried to look as calm as possible. His body trembled and yet his eyes still held a look of fierce confidence and power. With these eyes he sized the Shadow Warrior up, pushing the hatred he felt from his heart. There was no place for hate or anger, only concentration and determination.

"You've shown plenty of cowardice in the past."

Apparently his foe had fixed his armor because there wasn't a dent or scratch to be found. Besides that, the Warrior looked the same as before and not a fraction weaker. Ranma suppressed a slight shudder and planted his legs, preparing for battle. Taking a series of clensing breaths, he looked up at the clear blue sky and tried to find a sense of peace.

The Warrior was silent for a movement before he shook his covered head, clearly realizing that Ranma wouldn't be riled up so easily this time. "No. I suppose not. You've never run away from a fight before. I knew you wouldn't do so now. However, with your partner out of commission you must know that whatever small chance you had for success died the second he entered the hospital."

"With or without Ryoga, I won't let you win! I will take you down here and now!" Ranma said evenly, flexing his hands. "I showed up as promised, so after this fight is over, no matter who wins, you keep away from Akane. Got that?"

The Warrior snorted arrogantly. "Your fiancée was never my intended target. I couldn't care less about her. You have nothing to fear in that regard. She's far too weak. So weak that it negates any fun that breaking her in battle would yield."

"Akane weak?" Ranma smiled slightly without humor. "You're dead wrong. She's stronger than you think. I think she might surprise you."

The time was at hand. There could be no mistakes, no mercy, no letting up. Ranma knew he'd have to fight with all the power and strength of a demon just to survive. He was prepared and he knew what he had to do. His adrenaline kicked into overtime, pulsing like magma throughout his body. He knew there was no time left to worry about success or not, only to make it happen or die. The fear of death was there, hovering over his shoulder like an unwanted specter. Ignoring it, Ranma dropped into a stance that would easily allow him to shift between offense and defense.

He set his jaw. "It's time to fight."

"I admire your bravery. It won't save your life though. Any time you are ready, we can begin the final round of our little game." The monster in armor took up combat position, his figure shining brilliantly as the metal caught the sun's reflection.

Ranma grit his teeth together. Let it begin, there was no sense in waiting any longer. Standing around a second longer might be chalked up as cowardice. "Let's do it."

"Stop right there!" A voice called from a loud speaker.

From around the school came over half a dozen police cars with sirens blaring. Alarmed the students present backed up as the cars raced into the field and formed a perimeter, blocking the Shadow Warrior from Ranma and the others. Doors opened and officers with pistols in hand took aim. The sirens turned off though the flashing lights remained.

One officer addressed the armored man directly. "Remain right where you are. You are under arrest."

His voice droned on, reading off a list of charges but the words did not reach the warrior's ears as his brain was seized in anger. No doubt one of the faculty members had tipped off the police. He made a mental note to kill all the teachers present for the grievous offence of standing in the way of his final revenge.

"You dare interupt?"

The Shadow warrior summoned his power and the police opened fire. A dark shadow of pure energy not only absorbed the shots but also swept amongst the police and their cars like a visible strand of wind. Raising his hand, the warrior clenched it into a fist. Detonations rang out as the line of police cars exploded and caught fire. Some of the men died instantly while others were merely wounded and sent flying. Brave students came forward to try to save as many of the officers as they could, leaving the bent husks of metal and several unfortunate souls who could not save to die in a hellish blaze.

The shock and anger on Ranma's face was as clear as day.

Striding forward, the Shadow Warrior gestured with his hand as if to say "where were we?".

Ranma dropped into a combat stance, gritting his teeth. "That was your last mistake. I'm going to take you down! Come at me!"

The Warrior's initial burst of speed was like unchecked lightning. In an instant he was hovering over his prey and raining down punches against Ranma's blocking forearms. Swinging his arm just a fraction too high, the Warrior snarled and struck. The boy noticed this mistake and ducked under the incoming attack, countering by throwing his leg upwards. He was more than a little surprised when his foot connected with the Warrior's torso and threw the man back a few steps. Jumping forward, he became determined to capitalize on this golden opportunity by landing an early, crushing blow.

The valiant boy moved up against the Warrior and lashed out with his fist. He put all his momentum in the attack and the Warrior saw this, laughing with genuine amusement. Stepping to the side at the last minute, he hooked two fingers around Ranma's shirt collar and pulled forward, yanking the boy off balance before he could regain his momentum. He fell onto his hands and knees, glaring up. His face burned with total humiliation as the Warrior took a step back, his shoulders shaking in a silent chuckle.

"You're not taking this seriously!" Ranma shouted, standing up.

The Warrior shrugged. "I'm just having a bit of fun while we warm up. What's wrong with that?"

Ranma raised his fist. "Don't insult me, damn it!"

The Warrior nodded, his posture growing rigid. "Very well. For real this time."

The two martial artists clashed as the crowd cried out in terror. As their bodies met in real combat at last, their fists cracked, creating a shockwave that nearly knocked the front row of onlookers clear off their feet. Ranma instantly let loose a volley of kick and punch combinations while the Shadow Warrior stuck to a defensive position, blocking Ranma's strikes with fluid precision. His efforts were not completely successful though, and he grunted as one of Ranma's kicks got past his defense and hit him soundly in his protected side. The force of the blow actually knocked him sideways a step, ever so slightly denting his armor.

A mild sting nipped at the Warrior's senses and even he couldn't deny that the move hurt just a little bit more than it should have. Lowering his stance even further, he looked at Ranma again, reevaluating his foe before he made a foolish mistake that could further prolong the match.

"You must have been training harder than I thought over these last three days. You seem slightly stronger and faster than last time. I didn't think such improvements could be made in such a short time. It won't be enough to save your life, but at least I won't be disappointed over a boring fight."

Ranma wiped a bead of sweat off of his forehead. "I have no intention of letting this drag on a second longer than necessary."

The Shadow Warrior chuckled and shook his head as if he were berating a small child. "Breaking you all over again is going to be so much fun!"

He teleported in front of Ranma and swung his gloved hand, connecting squarely with the side of Ranma's jaw. The powerful blow snapped Ranma's head to the side and bruised the bones beneath. The light in his eyes dimmed, but he struggled and held onto his consciousness like a drowning man clings to a piece of timber. Gritting his teeth, he willed the blaze of determination within himself to flare up stronger than ever. It was the only thing that could fuel his body and lead it to victory.

The Warrior sighed with mock frustration. "You always did leave an opening there. I would think you'd have realized that by now. As much as you've improved, your skills are still sadly lacking when compared to my own."

"Quit boasting and let's continue," Ranma growled, wiping his jaw.

"My, aren't you eager to rush to the grave today! Very well!" Diving forward, he called upon greater speed, faster than Ranma had ever seen him use before.

_What th-!?_ Ranma recoiled, attempting to buy himself some time and space but it was too late..

The monster pummeled his body like a boxing bag, staggering him with powerful punches that could surely smash concrete into fine powder. He tried to back away and block, but the Warrior's punches struck faster and faster. Thrown off balance yet again, another powerful attack disorientated the flailing boy and he saw stars flash before his field of vision. Switching tactics with a grunt of irritation, Ranma let his body roll with the Warrior's blows, instead of resisting them. It minimized the damage he took and saved his jaw and ribs from cracking over the course of the next few attacks. This strategy was only partially effective. The pain was still there, snapping at him with its hateful dark maw.

_I can't stop him! What am I going to do!?_ Ranma reeled as the Warrior landed multiple punches to his face, each blow pushing his body backwards towards the edge of the football field. It was obvious he was making sport of Ranma, enjoying the chance to pulverize his enemy one step at a time.

Ranma purposely fell backwards, hoping to buy himself some time but the Warrior reached out and grabbed a handful of his shirt, snapping some of the wooden buttons off as he yanked the surprised teenager back forward into his immediate range.

"Oh no you don't Ranma! We're just getting started! You were so eager to start this! Don't tell me you're having a change of heart already!" An iron grip held Ranma close as he delivered a withering volley of punches.

The Warrior didn't intend to let the fight last long either, Ranma realized. There would be no interference this time around but despite his overconfidence, the Shadow Warrior feared another distraction. Short and sweet was his intent and that left Ranma with very little time to save his own life. His mind worked harder than it ever had as he tried to come up with a plan.

_ "The power is in your fists, that is where you'll find an edge." _

Ranma pulled free of the Warrior's grasp, tearing his shirt in the process. Taking an additional step backwards, a wave of desperation stoked his frenzied brain and a miracle occurred. He suddenly felt an idea filtered into his mind. It felt natural and inviting, an open door and a warm embrace during a visit with an old relative. Happosai's words made perfect sense and just as Ranma realized the meaning of the old man's words, he felt a well of power open up from within his soul. Energy rushed through him, begging to be channeled and released.

He grinned as everything clicked into place. Yes, he understood what Happosai had been hinting at now. The idea for a new attack filtered into his mind, something special that would catch his enemy completely by surprise! He couldn't understand how all this happened so quickly, he could only act on instinct and let his survival instincts do the work for him. The energy blanketed his body, gaining strength.

_I understand now! I do! I just gained a point of respect for you, old freak_!

His body began to glow blinding red as additional power filtered down into his arms, collecting into his hands. His right hand erupted with power that burned blue. Ranma cried out with resolve, swinging the energy-bathed fist with all his might. The blow was backed with every ounce of speed the boy could muster. It connected with the Warrior's armored mask.

"Argh!" He groaned as his head took the blow full force and snapped backwards under the strain. He felt the plastic lens that covered one of his eyes shatter under the pressure, revealing a piercing green eye that stared at Ranma in hateful surprise. A small stream of blood fell from where the shattered lens had cut his cheek and it dribbled from underneath his mask onto the grass below.

Ranma fixed his enemy with a hard, determined look that radiated confidence and rage at the same time. "My life is _not _yours to take! Do you hear me!? No one has that right!"

The technique continued to evolve. His other hand flexed and energy extended up his arm in the form of a fiery gauntlet that covered him from forearm to knuckle. He slammed this new weapon into his opponents armored chest plate, throwing the Warrior backwards a considerable distance and burning the armor under his skin until it glowed red. He took no pleasure in the pain he caused and he didn't enjoy fighting like this but he did gain some satisfaction in pausing the Warrior's murderous plan dead in its tracks.

"Damn you!" The Warrior recovered his balance and grunted, clawing hopelessly at his overheated armor plate, helplessly groaning as it burnt his skin. Shards of heat bit at his nerves. Spying a concrete water fountain nearby, he rushed to it and kicked as hard as he could. The concrete shattered and the pipes inside burst, spraying water in all directions. Using it to cool his armor, the Warrior looked at Ranma who waited at the other end of the field. He growled and recovered himself, walking back towards the center of the field and his waiting enemy.

Ranma watched with angry eyes, relaxing his stance slightly and allowing himself a slight sigh. "We don't have to fight like this. This kind of battle doesn't hold any honor. Can't you let go of your hatred and go home in peace?"

"When did you learn that move?"

The Warrior teleported before Ranma again and swung his fist, catching the surprised boy in the stomach. He doubled over, spewing stomach fluid from his mouth that burned his throat as it came up. The Warrior's armored knee slammed into his chin a second later. The move snapped Ranma's body backwards until his back plowed into the ground. The next sight that greeted his eyes was the peaceful looking blue sky above.

The Warrior leveled a finger in his direction. "It will take more than one new move to topple me, you fool! You must already know that you are doomed. This fight was over before it even began."

Ranma wiped his mouth angrily, flipping to his feet. "Like hell…"

The Warrior lowered his open hand towards Ranma's chest. "My thoughts exactly. Since you like playing with fire, try mine. Hellfire blast!"

"Shit!" Ranma was knocked backwards and singed by the intense column of flame as it burst from the Warrior's hand like a flame thrower. His shirt caught fire and he rolled across the ground to extinguish the flames before they could burn his skin.

Rising to his feet, and adjusting what remained of his shirt, he recovered instantly with a powerful fury gleaming in his eyes. His aura felt stronger than ever and he set himself to counterattack. He lashed out, pushing himself right up against the Warrior and grabbing onto his armor with his left hand as both his arms once again glowed crimson. Striking out with his Katchu Tenshin Amaguriken attack with his other hand, he reigned down hundreds of punches across his foe's body. The final punch of the attack series was so strong that it knocked the Warrior backwards, completely off balance.

"What in the hell?!" For the first time the Warrior fell over dazed, forcing Ranma to let go or fall with him. One visible green eye blinked in bewilderment as Ranma fell back nimbly. Aided by gravity, the Warrior's body struck the ground with a solid thump, forming a small impact crater.

Panting, Ranma used the respite to gather strength and combat exertion brought on from using his full speed ability. However, he learned from his last mistake and didn't relax his stance.

"I won't be easy to beat this time!"

The armored menace lumbered back onto his feet. "Hmm. Yes, so it seems. No one I have ever faced has given me this much trouble.. Quite admirable to be sure. I see that I was wrong to think that you wouldn't be able to give me a decent fight. Sadly though, it's about time to put you down for good."

The Warrior dashed forward, closing the distance between himself and Ranma as his heavy steps clanking against the ground. He delivered a snap kick to Ranma's face and followed up with a corkscrew punch aimed at the boy's already aching stomach. Ranma set his teeth and weathered the blows, waiting for another mistake to be made so he could reverse the tide of the battle once and for all. His rival was more careful this time and his stomach suffered several more punches as the Warrior singled out that section of his body to punish.

_He's still too fast for me to properly read his moves, _Ranma thought as he staggered backwards, clutching his burning torso.

The advantage of the armor worn by the enemy was once again proving to be Ranma's downfall, even with the new move at his disposal. Bruises took shape on his face and chest and his muscles screamed at him from every damaged part of his body. A quick counterstrike landed a sound uppercut. The Warrior was relentless in his assault however, and would not be slowed down again.

_This guy is as strong as Saffron was! The complexity of his attacks, the calculation of his strikes, he's just too good! I gotta outsmart him!_

Ranma hunched over with mock exhaustion, panting hard, drawing his opponent's attention. Waiting patiently, he allowed his head and posture to slouch forward until he almost looked defeated.

"Tired are we?" Laughing, the armored nightmare strode forward, stepping before Ranma and looking down at him. "So, in the end this was all you could do? I suppose you still deserve a modcrum of resp-"

"Moko Takabisha!" Raising his arms, Ranma rose up straight and fired a point black shot into the Warrior's chest, enveloping his body in a field of golden energy. Howling, the Warrior's body disappeared into the brilliant glow of the attack, only to step out of the beam a moment later, singed but otherwise none the worse for wear as that spent attack soared out, cutting into the trees that lay beyond the sports field.

Ranma grit his teeth. "No way! You took that dead on!"

"Do you think this armor is just for show? Catch! Matrix Orb!"

The sphere of death was hurled with a pitchers precision and speed. Ranma ducked at the last second and the ball struck the ground at the edge of the field, dissipating several feet of soil. It was as if the energy were made of the vilest of acidic compounds. If that had hit him head on he would have been dead for sure.

Ranma frowned at his slower reaction speed and realized he had to change his tactics. It was necessary to take the fight to the Shadow Warrior and stay on the offensive. With luck it would force Warrior to tire out and slow down, as he and Ryoga had done before. If he stayed on the defensive, the Warrior's special abilities would quickly come back to haunt him.

"I'm growing tired of playing this game," the Warrior growled. "I've wasted more than enough time on you! I know what you're planning on doing and I won't allow you to delay your death a second longer!"

He began to gather energy to a greater degree, flexing his hands until they shook violently under the strain of the energy he was summoning. Snapping his hands out straight, he fired two strong beams of energy from each palm, simultaneously hitting Ranma's arms. The energy seemed to wrap around his biceps like ribbons, entangling his limbs before fading away.

To the valiant boy's horror, he instantly felt his arms go numb and fall limp at his sides. Backing up several paces, he racked his brain furiously for a solution to his newest dilemma, but without the use of his arms he was next to helpless. No, worse that that, he was trapped. Blue eyes widened in horror and he looked at Akane with mournful eyes. Panic captured his brain and froze it, preventing him from properly thinking. All he could think about was trying to free himself. He hadn't noticed that the Warrior had purposely kept him at bay, purposely neutralizing the speed he could generate at close range until he found the right time to unleash that attack.

Laughing, the Warrior's form started to glow with an even darker energy that promised Ranma's death, whispering with torment and malice. Laces of energy flickered from finger-to-finger as distorted power convulsed to life in his right hand. The end was coming and it would be as easy as a spider finishing off prey trapped in the web.

"Nice trick, eh? I was saving it for just such a moment. What you've just had the honor of experiencing was a paralyzing move specialy created in my village. If you'd only trained harder you'd have learned that ki can be manipulated and used in many interesting ways. A master of ki would have already freed himself."

"You coward! Afraid to fight a real battle?" Ranma screamed.

"Hardly. I know how well you adapt to attacks after they are used against you. You memorize them and find countermeasures even after a single demonstration. That's why I had to save it specifically for you. Be honored and let that little bit of information fill you with pride as I send you to the gates of hell!"

Ranma clenched his eyes shut and summoned his will, striking out against the power that held him, trying to break the invisible chains and regain the use of his arms. His struggles were useless. Energy clung to him, hideously refusing to let go. He howled mentally, fixating Akane with his eyes, eyes that he knew shown with desperation and fear.

The Warrior approached and Ranma instinctively kicked, somehow finding the strength to resist his invisible bonds. However the hold on him was too strong asn the kick was rendered too slow. His leg was stopped in mid-motion by an armored forearm and a backhand to the face knocked him to the ground.

The Warrior chuckled from behind his mask. "Die quietly, would you? You've given your best and it just wasn't enough."

Another stream of energy concentrated into his hand and he lowered his fist at Ranma's head, gently planting his knuckles on the stricken boy's forehead. "This time, it really is over." Goodbye."

"Bakusai Tenketsu revised: Ground Quake!"

With a blur of motion, Ryoga landed and lightly pressed his finger into the soil, the ground around them shook violently as if Mother Nature herself were the cause. The tremor broke the Warrior's concentration and he stumbled backwards, flailing his arms, trying to remain upright. Titanic waves of energy pulsed and rolled across the open ground, rocking it with the power of an earthquake. Black energy cracks tore at the ground, pulling and pushing at its frame, propelling Ranma away from his enemy.

"Who...?" The Warrior's visible green eye flashed red.

Ryoga, umbrella in hand, stepped up beside Ranma, wincing slightly and running his hand absentmindedly over his wounded side.

"What the hell are you doing here? You're still hurt!" Ranma snapped, trying to work sensation back into his arms. "This is my fight!"

Ryoga gave him a look that an older brother would give his sibling during a lecture. "Shut up! Hurt or not there's no way I'm going to let you fight by yourself. If we're going to die then we will die together! Besides, it looks like you can't fight, at least for now. Rest up a minute and let me take some of the heat off of you."

"Ryoga, you are too weak to fight! You'll get yourself killed! Please don't fight!"

Ukyo screamed and begged for him to retreat from the sidelines, struggling to reach his side as some of the other high school students held her back. She knew as he did that the wound on his side would only hinder his movements, making his effort to defend Ranma all the more futile.

The Warrior snorted, steadying himself as irritation rolled off his body in waves. "Begging a warrior to retreat from the field of battle? This coming from the woman who hurt you to begin with? Ridiculous."

"I'm sorry, Ukyo," Ryoga said, ignoring the Shadow Warrior. This is something I just have to do. I owe Ranma. Akane, please look after her for me, would you?"

Akane swallowed visibly but nodded.

He waved in thanks before setting his mind on the task at hand. There was no longer any room to regret or fear anything else save action. Battle lay before him, and as a martial artist, he had to answer the call one more time. If he fell here today at least he could say he died a warrior, a man's man. He couldn't have possibly have asked for anything more.

Ukyo fell to her knees in despair as her heart fell into her stomach. "Ryoga...no…please…"

The Shadow Warrior chuckled, brushing himself off. "Another interested and unexpected turn of events. What are you doing here? My quarrel was never with you to begin with and I have no time for the injured. Get off this field right now and I'll let you live."

"Not on your life, bastard!" Ryoga leveled a finger at him "And while you're at it, drop the stupid evil comic book villain impersonation. Your lines are getting too cheesy to take seriously."

"So be it! You will regret your stubbornness. Poor Ukyo! Think how sad she'll be after she watches you die at my hands! You've involved yourself in a hopeless battle fool. This time no act of interference will stop me from having my revenge. Ranma will die, and now, so will you!"

A haze of crimson surrounded the Warrior's form as his anger fueled his energy output. This was the third time his quest to destroy Ranma had met with interference and he was quite beside himself with frustration. It remained to be seen how long the wall that was Ryoga Hibiki could hold back the raging typhoon that was the Shadow Warrior.

Ryoga held himself back, advancing at just three quarters of his normal speed. Just under three feet away from the Shadow Warrior, he suddenly released that last burst of strength and closed in fast, hammering the Warrior's mask and chest with dual punches, physically skidding him back across the field. The Lost Boy advanced, striking again with the same level of ferocity. With his match in physical strength met, the Warrior teleported away, resulting in a short game of tag, Ryoga's fist repeatedly struck the ground just a fraction of a second after the Warrior teleported away over and over again.

"Fool." The Shadow Warrior gracefully teleported in a circular movement around his prey. The multiude of after images that moved through the air following his rapid busrst of speed left no indication as to where he would end up. Once the younger warrior was sufficiently confused he stopped in front of Ryoga to bash his fist into the boy's jaw line, hurling him backwards.

"Damn it…" Ryoga snarled and rubbed a trail of blood off of his chin, backflipping and landing in a crouch several meters away.

"I think I can fight," Ranma said, rising from his crouch and raising his arms experimentally. "His paralyzing attack didn't last long. Thanks for covering for me."

Ryoga nodded and turned to whisper with his comrade. "While I distract him, you get in close and hit away as best you can. With your speed at close range, he'll have a hard time blocking."

Plan finalized, Ryoga reached up and removed several of his bandannas from his head then spun himself around, flinging them along with his umbrella. The Shadow Warrior knocked the projectiles away with well placed swats of his arms but doing so left him wide open to Ranma as the boy appeared before him, punishing fists aimed at his plated chest and stomach. He got several good punches in then flipped backwards, evading the Warrior's iron grasp as he sought to catch him in a bear hug.

"Now I'm really pissed off!" The Warrior raised his hand and teleported.

"Watch out!" Ranma warned, looking around franfically. "He could reappear anywhere."

"Tell me something I don't know!"

He reappeared behind Ryoga faster than the Lost Boy could react and, with one fluid motion, kicked Ranma in the chest. The blow knocked the wind out of his lungs and sent him crashing to the ground. Next, he grabbed both of Ryoga's hands and held them skyward within the grasp of one of his bone-crushing gauntlets.

"I just want you to know that I'm really going to enjoy this."

He brought his free arm up and slammed his fist into Ryoga's injured side with the force of a battering ram. Ryoga howled in pain as the stitches ripped free and the wound bled freely again. His armored knuckles stuck into the meat of Ryoga's flailing body, drenching his hand in crimson blood and irritating the wound on his side to an unbearable level of agony.

"I'll shatter your body! I warned you about crossing me again! You could have lived happily with your little girlfriend! Instead you're going to die and she'll be watching the entire time!"

He punched Ryoga again and again and again. The sickening sound of tenderized flesh filled the air, rising above even Ryoga's heart-wrenching screams of agony. Blood flowed like a river down his torso as the metal struck his tender, damaged skin over and over. As the severity of the wound intensified, a series of sickening wet sounds echoed from the screaming boy's mouth as he convulsed painfully, struggling against his captor as his face set with agony.

Ukyo screamed from the sidelines as tears flowed down her pretty face. Genma and Soun were forced to hold her back, whispering words of comfort to her. It was too painful a sight to watch and yet no one seemed to be able to tear their eyes from the massacre. She watched with pain-filled eyes as Ryoga's body was pummeled under the Warrior's powerful hits. He inflicted such pain so gladly, punching, jabbing, and taking the very life from Ryoga's body.

"Ryoga no! Stop it, your killing him!" Ukyo screamed.

The Warrior turned his head to face her. "Yes I am. I'm really having a good time doing it too. Sit back and enjoy the show."

Head slumping forward, Ryoga's pupils shrunk as darkness took him. Still faintly feeling his body rocking against the blows being delivered but feeing no pain, he fell, diving deep into a darkness that rushed up to embrace him. It enveloped him within its limitless boarders like a long cast shadow. Thoughts and fears ceased to be. His body was forgotten, left behind as he continued to fall…

* * *

Sunlight fell across Ryoga's face and he slowly opened his eyes, raising one arm to shield his eyes until they adjusted to the light. He smelled something sweet on the wind and turning his head, he saw that he was lying in a field of beautiful, sweet smelling flowers. Slowly rising to his feet he stretched, feeling strangely refreshed. Looking around he saw a forest of vast, beautiful green to his left, and birds sang overhead with a chorus telling of gentle spring. It felt like a fresh day and a slight breeze brushed past him, rustling his unruly bangs.

"Is this heaven?" His hand automatically fell to his side and he felt no pain. Startled, he lifted his shirt and felt only smooth uninjured skin. His wound had vanished completely.

"I'm not hurt anymore," he looked at his hands in bewilderment.

Dazed, he inspected his clothing for even the slightest trace of blood but there was none to be found. The clothes he wore seemed to have been freshly pressed and he took a deep breath, feeling the fresh air invigorate his lungs. Everything about this place resounded with a feeling of paradise. He knew he had never been here before and yet, a part of him found this place familiar all the same. He felt bonded to this land, as if it were a part of him somehow.

Butterflies hovered above flowers and the soft petals beneath them fluttered gently in the wind. It was so beautiful that Ryoga almost found himself moved to tears. But he also felt isolated and that unnerved him. There was no Ranma or Akane or Ukyo in this place. He was alone, left to view this beautiful place by himself. It didn't seem right somehow. Nothing, no matter how beautiful, should be viewed by one man alone.

"What's going on here? Am I dead?"

"No, not yet at least," A soft and very familiar voice called to him. It was gentle as a spring breeze to his senses. "However, that path is open to you if you still wish to take it."

Turning around, Ryoga saw Ukyo standing before him, clad in a pretty light blue sun dress and straw hat, smiling softly at him. Her gentle brown eyes appeared to be deeper than the deepest blue ocean. Bending down to pluck a large purple flower, she closed her eyes and brought it to her nose, inhaling its fragrance. Her soft smile broadened slightly, a slight chuckle following on its heels. "What a wonderful smell. Here, your turn."

He blinked in surprise. What was she doing in this place? Taking a step forward, he raised a hand as if to touch her. "Ukyo?"

She opened her eyes and raised the flower in front of him her gentle demenour commanding that he smell the flower. Ryoga took a sniff, smelling the exotic pollen as it tickled his nose, sensations of life overwhelming him. He didn't even try to deny to himself that it smelt good. Or perhaps it was simply that he felt good being here with the cool breeze and the warm sun overhead. Ukyo gave him a knowing smile, running a hand through her long brown hair then moved down to adjust her dress, smoothing out a small wrinkle.

"Are you really Ukyo?" He asked.

The girl shook her head, throwing her rich brown hair from side to side before it came to rest neatly behind her again. Each piece of hair fell precisely as it should. It almost seemed as if she controlled each individual strand on direct command. Her movements were graceful and beautiful, almost inhumanly so. She was beautiful and majestic but her perfection was unnerving.

"No. I am you. Or to be more specific, I am a part of you. I am your thoughts, your dreams, you joy and aspirations. I know your fears and weaknesses, your pains and your doubts as intimidate as any lover. We are as one, you and I."

Ryoga blinked again. "If you are me, then why do you look like Ukyo?"

The girl smiled and opened her hands at waist level. "I am what you wanted to see the most at this place and time. You made me. I am but an illusion within your mind's eye."

Ryoga shook his head and sat back down on the soft grass, leaning his forearms against his knees. "I don't get it. I remember fighting the Shadow Warrior and then he…"

Ukyo's bright demeanor drooped slightly and her eyes glossed over, becoming portals that showed pain and the slightest trace of distress. "He has hurt you. He continues to do so even now, away from this place. He is a powerful opponent filled with such intense anger and hate. It isn't natural. I wonder how he became as he is now…"

She crossed her arms and turned away from the wind as if chilled her skin. Her face grew even more distressed.

"Yeah, well, he's going go down one way or another." Ryoga rubbed his jaw line. "Everyone has a past. A painful one doesn't give them the right to mess with people's lives."

The illusion of Ukyo stopped hugging herself, her eyes widening a moment. Silently she padded over to him and draped her arms around his shoulders, that cheerful smile returning to her beautiful face. "You are as serious as always. So much in you has changed and yet so much has not. You've grown and matured vastly in such a short time and yet, you valiantly maintain your innocence even as you yourself attempt to strip it away. Injured as you were, you still jumped in to save Ranma. That is commendable. Many people wouldn't risk themselves to save others."

"Ranma is strong. I think he can beat this guy," Ryoga replied.

"You say that as if you would not be there to witness it when it's all said and done," she replied. "Is that what you meant by your tone?"

Ryoga poked her in the forehead lightly. "You're me, right? Why don't you tell me the answer to that question?"

She chuckled again. It was a pleasant sound like soft music or the sounds of playing children. The illusion was just like Ukyo, from her looks to her mannerisms. He turned to look up at the clear blue sky and felt a wonderful warmth sink into him as the sun bathed his skin. Off in the distance a clear blue lake lay peacefully undisturbed, glistening merrily as the sunlight danced across its waters.

"This place seems so peaceful, and it looks like we're all alone."

Ukyo giggled. "I would hope you like it here! After all, this is a land you've created in your dreams.

"My mind created this?"

"Yes! As such, it can only be as you wish it to be. So of course it's beautiful! Everyone has their ideal place of self within their mind, each just as beautiful and varied as another. Perhaps your inner peace does shine a bit more so than others. Half of you harbors such a dark depressive energy. Perhaps this place of utter peace is the counter weight, a balance."

"I like it here." He took another deep breath, reaching down to brush at the grass with his fingertips. If felt so appealing to just stay here under the warm sun and soft grass. If he left there would only be pain. Why couldn't he just stay here and rest his weary heart? He suddenly felt very ancient and tired. He realized he didn't want to fight anymore. He wanted to rest and let fate steer his course. It felt like such an easy choice to make.

The illusion of the lovely girl moved around his left side, bare feet padding gently across the grass. She knelt in front of him and placed her hand under his chin, making him look at her. "This is not the place for you to stay, there is a battle going on and you have to fight on. You are a master of your art and you must defeat this great evil. It is not time to rest yet; it is too soon for that. This is one opponent Ranma cannot possibly beat alone. He needs you."

Ryoga snorted. "I'd never thought I'd see the day when I'd be giving myself a pep talk."

Ukyo's gaze hardened slightly. "You _must _go back!"

Ryoga cast his gaze downward again. "I don't want to fight. The pain is too great. Wounded as I am, I would only get in Ranma's way. I'd be better off staying here."

"But you cannot do so. That is your real home, where the real Ukyo is. She needs you more than ever and you must go to her. The Shadow Warrior is standing in your way of being with her, stopping you from enjoying a happy future with her at your side. You must defeat him and create your own paradise within the realms of reality."

Ryoga shook his head. "I've already lost. My body wasn't healed enough to fight him in the first place. I knew it was a suicide mission from the beginning."

"You're body is being crushed more and more each moment that you linger here. You have the will and the power to help defeat this opponent, I know it. If you cannot defeat him, then Ukyo may never be safe. He could try and hurt her as well. With you and Ranma gone, nothing could prevent him from doing as he wishes. That is what you fear the most, is it not?"

Ryoga inhaled sharply as the words sunk in and he ground his teeth together. Fighting ruthlessly in combat against a foe was one thing, but to hurt Ukyo who had nothing to do with the duel was another entirely. "He wouldn't dare…."

Ukyo gazed at him sadly. "But he would. He would do it without remorse, sympathy, or even second thoughts. The anger that has festered inside of him has corrupted his heart. Without you, Ranma will fall and then no one will be left to protect your friends. Ukyo is in great danger. You must go back to her before it is too late."

She gestured around. "This only serves as a reminder of what you stand to lose. Brave your pain and go back. You are far stronger than even you yourself know. Only you can help Ranma tip the scales of the battle."

She stood up and stepped backwards with a dancer's elegance. "Trust me, I know." Her small gentle smile returned, brightening her features. "Go save her, the woman you love. Defeat the Shadow Warrior."

Ryoga nodded, tightening his hands into tight fists. "Yes, I understand."

Giggling again, Ukyo placed her fingertips over his eyelids, closing them. "Protect her. It is what you must do, what you've always meant to do. Survive. Find peace and happiness that matches this vision within your mind. Remember the serenity and peace of this place and bring it to fruition in your reality."

Ryoga took a deep breath. "Yes…."

"You can do it. Believe in yourself and your abilities."

Silently, she padded away across the soft lush grass, disappearing down the small hill he was standing on. Waving back at him, she dissolved from his sight as the world around him went dark as the ground gave way beneath him again. As he fell, he merged with the darkness, becoming nothingness.

"Farewell…"

The haunting voice of Ukyo disappeared above him and the blackness of his dormant mind took him within its folds once more. But this time, as he fell he found himself heading towards a light of such brilliance that it hurt his eyes even with them closed. Stretching out with his hand as if to reach for it, Ryoga charged back to complete his destiny. The memory of Ukyo fueled his determination and he plunged into the light, losing himself amongst its brilliance.

* * *

Blood and fluids dripping down his gauntlet-ed hand, the Warrior laughed, holding Ryoga's mangled body higher in the air for the crowd to see. "So much for this one. Those who risk their lives for others are fools!"

"Stop it! You're killing him! Stop it!" Ukyo screamed at him, hatred and fear burning in her eyes. Ryoga looked far too still and his eyes hadn't opened for several minutes now. It was all Ranma and Akane's fathers could do to hold her back.

"I already told you girl, that's the point! Anyone who challenges me will die as a lesson to others. This isn't a game or a gentleman's sparring match. This is real combat! I have no problems taking a life under such circumstances."

His fist slammed into Ryoga's side again and he opened his hand, shoving his fingertips into the opening of the wound. With a scream of rage, Ukyo finally broke free and ran towards the Shadow Warrior, howling with rage.

"No!" Screaming more from rage than from pain as he awakened abruptly, Ryoga's eye's opened wide and he focused on Ukyo, feeling rejuvenation streak through him. A burst of energy exploded around him, pushing Ukyo back towards the relative safety of the crowd. Setting his full attention on the Shadow Warrior, he set his muscles and began to struggle, shocking everyone around him. His scream of hatred gave pause to the Warrior who looked up at his formerly comatose opponent in bewilderment.

"What th-"

"This ends now!" Ryoga hissed between clenched teeth, using his thoughts of Ukyo to fuel his determination. Driving the burning pain of his side from his mind, he broke the Warrior's grasp on his hands by twirling in mid air. Using his remaining strength, he spun around to face his foe. For a second the two stared at one another, connected via their hatred of one another, eyes locked as if they could peer into each other's souls.

"How are you still alive?!"

"Suck on this! Bakusai Tenketsu!"

His finger connected with the Warrior's mask, triggering an initial explosion that formed a series of small cracks that slowly grew larger as the seconds passed. The energy Ryoga put into the attack seeped deeper into the reinforced armor, cracking it from the center on outward. The fact that the metal didn't explode during the first second of contact with Ryoga's finger was a miracle in itself and spoke well of the armor's quality.

The Warrior grabbed Ryoga by his wounded side, fingers clamping down on either side of his wound, and lifted him in the air as his rage doubled in ferocity.

"Your stupid fool! I'll kill you!" He flung the helpless boy across the field where he fell to the ground in a bloody heap, convulsing in silent agony.

The Warrior growled and clenched his blood-covered gauntlet, preparing to square off with Ranma as the boy slowly rose to his feet, moving to shield Ryoga from further harm. "This nightmare is my masterpiece! The unmasking of my identity will change absolutely nothing!"

Ranma kept his gaze steady, watching as the cracks in the Warrior's mask spread and intercepted one another. It might have been the perfect moment to attack but raw curiosity as to the identity of this enemy stayed Ranma's feet and he stood at the ready, watching and waiting to finally set eyes on his vindictive foe.

Chucking, the Warrior's distorted voice started to break as well. "Gaze now at your destroyer, Ranma Saotome!"

A sound of tearing metal filled the air as the incredibly sturdy armor finally relented against Ryoga's attack. The Shadow Warrior's metal mask finally shattered and fell to the ground in pieces. A great silence spread across the crowd as the Shadow Warrior smirked, facing them with an even greater sense of determination. He looked even fiercer unmasked, with his cold, unflinching eyes facing the crowd. His face held a look of utter disgust and hatred, and it was a look that completely suited the scene of this current nightmare.

"He was the first to ever unmask me. He should feel honored," he said, motioning towards the downed fighter.

Ranma looked at his unmasked opponent and gasped as he caught his first good look at his enemy. He had, over the course of the week since he had first met his opponent, attempted to guess who the man really was. Countless time he'd tryed to piece various clues together and had come up with nothing. He couldn't think of anyone in his life who was capable of becoming something as evil as the Shadow Warrior. But at that moment, as the unmasked enemy stared at him, he realized how wrong he had been. Ranma would never have guessed this person was capable of such an atrocious act, as devilish as the boy normally was. Something wasn't right. Something didn't make sense at all.

Something was very, very wrong.

Almost laughing with disbelief, Ranma shook his head over and over. "Impossible!"

Suddenly, it occurred to him that it might have been better if he had not learned the identity of his enemy…


	24. The Fury of the Storm

Chapter Twenty Four: The Fury of the Storm.

Before him stood a tall boy, taller than Ranma or Ryoga by a small margin. He was a slightly effeminate, handsome looking man with dark hair and piercing green eyes. His face bore a mask of confidence and as he studied Ranma's dumbstruck look a cruel smile came to touch his lips. Some in the crowd recognized him instantly while others only stared on in confused wonder.

In Nerima, time simply ceased to exist for that moment in time.

Around Japan, citizens continued to works striving to earn a living in the modern age. To them it was a normal day in a normal world. However, in Ranma's world, everything had just turned upside down and the rest of the world was utterly forgotten. The shocking discovery became Ranma's only foundation, and he knew that this discovery was about to unleash a greater hell then anything he had ever experienced before. Sweat trickled down his face as the true nightmare began to unfold.

"Pantyhose Taro?! _You're _the Shadow Warrior!?" He stared at the boy in stunned disbelief. Happosai's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates as Taro's gaze fell briefly on him, and behind the confidence, a twinge of fury shone through.

"Never you… I would never have suspected it would have been you…" Ranma stared at Pantyhose in dumbfounded shock, twitching painfully from his injuries.

Pantyhose grinned again, no longer cringing at his hated name. "What's the matter, fem-boy! Why, you look surprised! Who else do you know that would do something like this?"

"Why?" all Ranma was able to say. Such a simple question and yet the depth of it was more complex than creation itself.

Pantyhose chuckled with obvious amusement. "Ah, the obvious question! And certainly not an unexpected one! 'Why not' is probably the best way to answer. It was a perfect plan and when the time came to act on it, I took the chance. After Happosai refused to change my name for a third time, I returned to China and began to train to become a Mazakin armor wearer. I realized that the old man was never going to make my life any easier so I decided to take out my anger on the very school he founded. Revenge of another sort, you could say. That would hurt him more than anything I could physically do to him.

"The voice distorter and mask were as practical as they were amusing. I figured that if I was going to go through with my plan I should at least have fun with it. How many sleepless hours did you lie there trying to guess who could possibly be capable of making your life such a living hell?"

He chuckled. "Besides, the mask served its purpose and kept me relatively safe from harm, especially when it absorbed your flame punch attack or whatever you want to call it. It also robbed you of the advantage of knowing whom you were doing battle with."

"I can understand why you're mad at the old freak, but why make us suffer? Go beat him up for all your troubles!" Ranma shouted in exasperation.

Something still didn't make sense. Taro did not like anyone, and he hated Happosai but to go through with all this just to change his name was beyond bizarre, even for him. There had to be something else Taro wasn't telling him, that was the only explanation.

"You know better than anyone how I've tried to get to the old man and change his mind and I've never succeeded. I'm beyond that now. He doesn't matter at all. Besides, I don't hate just him, I hate the entire school he founded and that now includes everyone in it! Happosai's love of perversion is equal to his love of martial arts. I want him to watch as his student and then his school is taken from him forever. I want him to feel the pain! The same terrible pain I've had to feel all my life!

"People consider me to be a freak and an outcast. But that will soon change, I've seen to that. You've interfered with all my plans in the past so it's only fitting that you should play an in-depth part in this scheme as well! I hate you as much as I ever did him, and it's your fault that I've failed to alter my sad state of affairs over and over! I'm here to see that you all suffer! Suffer like I've had to for nineteen years! _Nineteen _years I've spent living in shame, afraid to talk to girls or other kids in fear of being ridiculed. I've never had any true friends, and its all over a stupid name and Happosai's determination to crush my will to be happy!"

He took a deep breath, climbing off of his proverbial soapbox. "Equally as important, I have a score to settle with you for getting in my way in the past. I hate you and the problems you've caused me and now you will die for it."

He assumed combat stance, kicking the shards of his mask to the side. "It's payback time."

Ryoga rose to his feet clutching his wound as blood oozed down his side. Breathing shallowly, he approached the other two combatants, moving to stand by Ranma. He knew all about being a recluse and how it left a person feeling so he could partially understand what Taro was talking about.

"But once a person gets the Mazakin armor they're supposed to stay and guard the village, not go out on crusades of revenge, right?" he asked.

"That isn't always the case," Pantyhose replied, brushing a strand of hair away from his face with his fingers. "I fought and beat my home village's grand teacher thereby earning my right to leave. Then, I went all over the world, gathering techniques from your former enemies and gaining fighting skills from other high ranking martial artists. I am far stronger than either of you could ever hope to be! My skill level is beyond human!"

"Some skill," Ryoga muttered sarcastically, holding his side as if to remove the pain with his hand. "You _stole _people's powers and abilities! Your strength has almost nothing to do with your own training. You did not earn this power, you stole it! You're nothing but a copy cat! A fake! Can't you see? That move has twisted you, making you the monster you are today. It's corrupting you!"

Taro blatantly ignored Ryoga's comments. "The rules still remain in place. If I win, your school is history!"

He ran forward and threw a punch at Ranma who used his opponent's arm as a springboard to leap over him. Doubling back around, he ran back to stand at Ryoga's side. A quick visual told him that Ryoga wasn't doing well. His face was very pale and his breathing was coming in shorter gasps. The wound puckered with irritation as puss and blood continued to leak out, albeit slower than before.

"Ryoga, get out of here," Ranma told him firmly. "You're too weak to fight!"

"No!" Ryoga said stubbornly. "I'll see this fight through!" He rushed past Ranma and engaged Pantyhose in close quarters combat. There was nothing Ranma could say or do to would change his mind. It would be easier to convince the sun to never set. Once Ryoga made up his mind up about something, he followed through until the end with single-minded determination.

"I always thought you were a demon, Taro! Inside and out!" Ryoga shouted, punching Pantyhose in the face as he submerged once more into battle mode.

He ducked under one of Taro's powerful swings and wrapped his arms around his waist, trapping his foe in a bear hug vice grip. He squeezed with all his might, passing all his strength into his arms and took great satisfaction in hearing Taro cry out in pain. The metal began to compress as it was squeezed by his grip.

"Let go!" Pantyhose desperately slammed his fists into Ryoga's back and sides but the Lost Boy's grip only tightened further. Reaching around, Taro grabbed Ryoga's hands and managed to force them away from his aching sides, gasping with relief as the enormous pressure was released from around his ribs.

"Heh! I may not be as skilled a martial artist as you or Ranma, Taro, but I'm ten times stronger in brute strength than either of you!" With his defenses down, he grabbed and lifted Pantyhose up by his neck and tossed him into the air.

The throw was perfectly executed. "Here's a taste of your own medicine!"

Taro flipped in midair and landed on his feet, easily recovering his balance with barely a grunt of effort. He frowned slightly, clenching his teeth and landing in a neat, crouched position.

_His strength is tremendous, even in his hurt state. I'll have to tread more carefully._

Ranma sped forward, as fast as a wolf on the hunt. He realized that constant attacks were the key to beating the older boy. If they could strip him of his armor, the advantage would be theirs. Taro might be unmasked, but his armored body would still present a formidable problem. It made many of his previous weaknesses void. Face shots were also a possibility but Taro would certainly guard that part of his body much more closely from now on.

Pantyhose and Ranma poured their very beings into their attacks as each attempted to dominate over the other. The two hammered at each other for several long moments in a series of body crushing blows. Not making significant headway, Pantyhose teleported to the opposite end of the field for a brief respite. He admired their skill and bravery, not that it was any less then the previous times he'd gone against them. All the cards were in his hand, so he didn't mind wasting a little extra time in fighting them since it couldn't be helped.

"In thanks for the fight of my life, please allow me to pave the way to hell for you!" Taro cracked his knuckles, grinning wickedly.

"My, what a kind offer," Ryoga muttered.

Taro crossed his fists and waist level and summoned his ki, howling like a demon and tensing his muscles as power poured from his body. There seemed no limit to his strength. His body was a reservoir of energy and he had no problem using this vast reserve of power to accomplish his goals from afar. As an electric current filled the air, his hair stood up on end, riding the upward current of energy as it gathered in his hands.

"Ryoga, we gotta stop him!" Ranma cried out, gesturing frantically. "If he uses a final attack, we're done for!"

They charged toward him in desperation, cutting across the ground, weaving side-by-side to present a harder target to hit. Tearing at the grass with their feet, the two raised their fists to intercept Pantyhose before he could complete his attack.

"Prince Kirin's attack will do nicely!" Taro stretched out his hand, lashing out with the hundred-beam attack to intercept them. The two boys dodged to either side, missing the brunt of the move. But even such a feat couldn't save them from several stray beams. Ranma took one in the chest and Ryoga took one in the leg and one in his painful wound. He cried out as it seared his already hurt flesh, dispersing attack energy into his weakened body. Agony wracked his body and blood further stained his tattered clothing. He collapsed to the ground, gasping as he curled up into a ball.

It was too much, to bear, he realized. Taro was targeting his wound over and over leaving him ineffective. Trying to keep up with Ranma was impossible, and if things kept up, he'd become nothing but a burden.

Pantyhose laughed manically, taking complete pleasure in the pain he was causing. "Another dose, Ranma?!"

From his other hand, five beams lanced out from his fingertips, striking his rival's nervous systems, paralyzing it as easily as he had done before. Ranma fell to his knees and found, to his horror that his body would not respond. He was more exhausted then he had previously realized, and this only served to aid Taro's attack.

"At last," Taro purred contently, "I have you both just where I want you. Trapped and weakened with no place to go. There will be no getting away this time, I assure you!"

Ranma shook his head in disbelief. Pantyhose Taro was just too strong of an opponent. Even with Ryoga's and his own combined strategy and powers, His endurance was nothing short of monstrous, easily ten times more so than it had once been. All he had to do was keep them at a distance and pound them with long range attacks until their strength was completely sapped. Without the greater part of their maneuverability, they wouldn't last another five minutes.

But even the most desperate of situations often hold a ray of hope. From the crowd of onlookers arose a cry so tremendous that it gave pause even to Taro's sinister laughter. All those who loved and respected the two brave boys who were risking their life for honor rose up in a steady cheer, jeering Taro at the same time.

Ranma and Ryoga looked over at the sidelines in surprise. Soun, Genma, Akane, Ukyo, Nabiki, Kuno, Kodachi, Mousse, Cologne, Happosai, Kasumi, Dr. Tofu, and Shampoo were all cheering them on, louder than the rest, shouting encouraging words to their champions. Love and friendship radiated from those shouts, touching the two boys deeply, all the way down to their very souls.

It was as if gods above had come and blessed him with all the radiance of heaven, Ranma guessed. There was no other way to describe the love that was radiating in the air around him. So many whose lives had touched his own, both enemy and friend alike, now prayed for his victory and safety. When he looked at Ryoga, he saw a similar look in his former rival's eyes. There was a willingness to keep fighting in his pained expression, a drive to endure further pain in the name of victory. They nodded at each other and smiled weakly. If Ryoga could keep fighting in his current state, then Ranma had no right to complain about his own injuries. Camaraderie, in its simplest form, is often the stronger motivator of all and this time proved to be no exception.

Somehow, the two found the strength to continue fighting from those tender words and cheers that continued to serenade their ears. Like a well in the desert, it rejuvenated their battered forms. They wearily rose to their feet as two voices in particular rose to their ears, helping to break their limits and fight on. They were no longer fighting for their own lives or even for each other. They both knew that now. What they were fighting for was the right to live on with the girls they had chosen. No vengeful foe was going to rob them of that chance!

"Don't give up, Ranma!" Akane cried.

You can do it, Ryoga!" Ukyo poured all her love into her words. "Send this guy packing!"

Taro sneered. "No cheering session is going to change the outcome of this battle! I've already won!" He charged forward at blinding speed, aiming for the both of them with a vengeance.

"Get back Ryoga!" Ranma raised his hands, eyes blazing furiously as he pointed his palms at Taro's approaching figure. Howling with rage, Ranma released a stronger wave of energy than he had ever before produced. Energy shot out from his palms, splintering the ground at his feet. "Hiryu Shouten Ha revised: Horizontal Blast!"

The horizontal hurricane cone flew from his glowing hands, crashing into Pantyhose's body before he could think to dodge. The Chinese boy cried out in surprise as the blast struck him dead on, washing over his body in a series of ki waves that burned and tore at his flesh. The strong winds created by the attack slammed into his body like a rampaging animal, sending him flying into a soccer goal post which cracked and collapsed against his weight and velocity. The impact forced a sharp cry of pain from his lips and a burst of colors sparked throughout his consciousness as the current of power continued to slam against him.

Focusing his mind frantically, he dug his heels into the ground, slowing his backwards momentum. Frantically, he opened himself to the flow of energy within and used it to once again cause the hurricane attack to die away by overloading it with pure amounts of neutral energy, negating even Ranma's vast power. Though thwarted, the attack had served its purpose and Taro was completely open to attack.

As the hurricane died down it paved the way for Ranma's sneak attack. Firing a Moko Takabisha immediately after, it shredded through the dying twister and plowed into Taro. The armor took most of the damage but it toppled and stunned the elder boy.

"Now Ryoga! Hit him before he can recover!"

The two boys surged forward, screaming like vengeful spirits. They landed on either side of Taro and continually kicked and punched at his body with a vengeance, pushing him over and crushing his form into the ground before he could react. For the first time in the engagement, things were looking somewhat bleak for Taro.

"This is impossible," he muttered.

He hauled himself to his feet, stumbling off balance. Just as he would recover it again, another series of attacks would lash out, causing the chain of events to start over again and again. Finally, he desperately called on his reserves of power and teleported away to safety reappearing half a field away.

He laughed, rubbing a bit of blood away from his bruised chin with the back of his hand. "Very good! But believe it or not, I was prepared for this turn of events. I have a contingency plan for all your tricks! The fact is that I have more attacks than both of you combined! This will secure victory for me! Final Blade Strike!"

Raising his hand skyward, Taro created a massive beam of black energy that sparked and hiss as it rose from his hand to rise over eight meters in the air. It grew in thickness as well, curving like a crescent moon. Leaping skyward, he swung it down in front of him as if he were karate-chopping a wooden board, unleashing the giant attack at the two startled boys with great speed. They both avoided the attack, wisely using the extra second hesitation created as the energy crashed downwards. The beam struck the ground without finding its mark, forming a gash in the dirt that would have probably succeeded in cutting them both neatly in half had it come closer to connecting. As it was, the field was almost cut in half as the hissing blade of energy slowly dispersed as it sunk lower and lower into the ground.

Ranma front-flipped towards Taro and slammed his foot into the older boy's chest, propelling him backwards. "Your attack's speed is limited to how fast your hand moves. We saw it coming a mile away!"

Taro reeled backwards but continued smiling, using his arms to steady himself. "Oh? Is that so? Think you've figured it out so quickly?"

Raising his open right palm, a horizontal version of the curved beam lanced out, quicker than before, cutting into Ranma's shoulder, down through his skin into the powerful muscles beneath. Ranma half flipped, half fell away, clutching his shoulder and screaming as the hot energy burned within his tortured body.

Taro squared his shoulders. "On the contrary, I can call up this attack faster than you can move! Up until now I've been toying with you with my little bag of tricks! You've both nearly turned the tables before with your well placed coordinated attacks, I'll admit that. But you must realize that it was only because of my overconfidence that you've made it this far. The truth is that I can finish you both off whenever I desire!"

"We've heard that one from you before," Ryoga countered. "Funny, looks like we're still standing."

Taro turned and fired the beam at Ryoga but he was far enough away to successfully strafe to the side. He fired again and again as Ryoga raced across the field, dodging as best as his wound would allow. Rock and dirt showered his body as the impact blasts kicked up debris behind him. Suddenly, Taro was on him and he had to drop into a low roll to dodge an overhead fist swipe, Ryoga's hand closed around his umbrella, uprooting it from the ground. Flipping over to Ranma, he opened it up in front of them, forming a shield.

Taro's furious shower of point blank energy attacks failed to puncture the umbrella no matter how strong he made the attack. Ryoga's unlikely weapon was all but impregnable. He could not remember where he had acquired it, especially not in the heat of battle, but he was ever grateful for its presence.

"What a remarkably absurd weapon! Still, without it you are defenseless!"

Taro dove at Ryoga, wrenched the umbrella from his hands and threw it over the heads of the crowd, far from Ryoga's grasp. Snarling, he made a grab for Ryoga's wound again, gauntleted hand curved like a talon. Ranma appeared just then used Taro's distraction wisely, landing a multi-kick attack into his armored side. This, coupled with Ryoga's powerful counter-punches, broke Taro down before he could properly retaliate.

"Give up Taro! You've lost!" Ranma snarled, grabbing hold of him by the neck.

"Heh. Not yet, Fem-boy. I'm not done yet. I still have a card or two up my sleeve!" He spun and kicked Ranma away from him using a knee to the jaw technique then removed a flask from his belt, popped off the top, and dumped the contents on his head, laughing as he did so.

"Ryoga get back! That's cold water!" Ranma winced, clutching his shoulder as blood soaked through the lighter red material of his shirt.

Ryoga didn't have to be told twice. He knew from experience the power Taro was about to gain. The first time they had fought Taro in his monster form it had taken four people to hold him off. Wounded as he and Ranma were, their chances for survival had just shrunk incredibly. Ranma gulped and took a hesitating step backwards.

"Now you die!" Taro's laughing face twisted nightmarishly as his Jusenkyo curse took effect. Ecveryone in the crowd took a cautionary step backwards.

His body began to convulse and grow beyond the endurance limits of the armor. The strong pieces of metal were no match for his curse and, bit by bit, they snapped off and fell to the ground as if they were made of tinfoil. He grew two long white horns on the back of his expanding head and a thick snake headed tail swung into view from around his large back, slamming repeatedly on the ground. A large pair of white bird wings formed on his back and stretched out to their full length, eclipsing the very sun itself. His body sprouted thick brown fur and eight Octopus tentacles snaked out from the fur on his back, swaying gently in the air.

With the transformation complete, he stood over ten feet tall, a fierce powerhouse of animalistic strength. Looking down at them with his bull shaped head he roared, muscles rippling with power. A monster in every sense of the word, the work of the spring of drowned Yeti riding Bull carrying Crane and Eel with Octopus tentacles added on later from a different spring. It was no secret that Taro enjoyed his curse; he loved the power it gave him. He made no attempt to hide it as his human laughter quickly distorted into a choking sound that passed for his animalistic laugh. Two large, beady black eyes narrowed dangerously, focusing only on the two targets below. Taro's fur rippled with eagerness as his tail cracked against the ground.

Ranma and Ryoga had faced him in this state before but with that much raw power at his command they never knew what to expect. The fight had taken a wide turn into the unexpected. When battling something that large and powerful, one wrong move could easily be fatal.

Taro took a step forward, shaking the ground, and swung his long tail at the two teenagers, attempting to knock them off their feet. They jumped high, easily avoiding it. The monster's eel tail smacked into a particularly large rock and shattered it like a pebble under a sledgehammer. The abomination bellowed, a terrible sound part rage, part battle cry. Flapping its wings, the beast stomped slowly toward them on ground-shaking hooves. He wasn't fast in his cursed form. He didn't need to be. Several blows from his fists could fell any opponent.

"Ryoga, you go for the back, I'll take the front," Ranma cried, running forward.

The pig-tailed boy jumped up and hammer-kicked Taro in his long stomach. Unfazed by the blow, Taro swatted Ranma away with his muscular arm, nearly knocking him out completely. Little bigger than Taro's hand and forearm in length, Ranma felt the blow through the very core of his being and fell to the ground, utterly stunned.

Ryoga jumped onto the creature's back and started hammering away with his fists. Snorting, Taro raised his tail to knock him off but one well placed kick forced it away. He started pounding the beast again, focusing on the spot between its wings. While not largely effective, it finally caught Taro's full attention. He spread his wings wide and took off, leaving the ground far behind. Ryoga watched Ranma shrink below him as his crawled to his feet, calling out to Ryoa in concern.

He clung tightly to Taro's fur as the monster gained altitude, knowing that one slip would be deadly. A fatal fall was just what Taro was looking to create. His eight tentacles reached down and swiped at the desperate boy with swift power. One caught him in the jaw and he almost lost his grip. Lying flat, he held on tightly to a patch of fur with one hand and removed his belt with the other, braving the intense winds as Taro flew faster than ever. Another tentacle swung at him, this time attempting to catch him in the chest. With a loud cry, Ryoga slashed his belt down, cutting off the attacking tentacle almost at its base. A blue liquid gushed from the small stump that remained, probably more of an inky substance that blood. Taro shrieked in pain regardless, retracting the other tentacles from harms way.

"It doesn't have to end this way, Taro!" Ryoga screamed. "No one has to die! It can end peacefully right now! We don't have to fight anymore!"

Enraged, the monster decided to try a new tactic. He flew from side to side, barrow-rolling and dipping amongst the sky, trying to dislodge his prey with violent shakes of his shoulder. Ryoga only tightened his grip on the creature's fur, holding on for dear life. The pain in his side was growing worse and he felt like he was on the verge of passing out. He had to force Pantyhose to land before he fell off. Crawling forward slowly, he latched onto the beast's neck with his legs then grabbed Taro's large horns in a death grip.

"Land right now, Taro," he screamed, "or I'll snap your neck! I swear it!"

Ryoga twisted the creature's head to the side, forcing a loud shriek from his enemy followed by an audible popping sound. Realizing that he didn't have a choice in the present matter, Pantyhose dove down like a missile out of the clouds, back towards the field.

_He's not going to get out of this that easily!_

Grabbing Taro's horns even more tightly, Ryoga turned the creature's head, forcing it to go where he wanted it to. Slamming his fist down on top of the Taro's head as hard as he could, the limp body slumped into a daze and fell freely towards the cluster of buildings across the street from the school. Ryoga jumped off at the last second, landing hard onto the street, feeling pain shoot up from the bottom of his feet upon impact.

He turned to see Taro wail pitifully, slamming into a small office building at an angle, head first. The behemoth crashed through the third story, and down to the ground level, nestled firmly within its depths. A small cluster of secondary explosions brought that section of the building down upon the monster, burying him under a hefty weight of debris. Glass shattered around the building and its foundation shook as the monster settled into solid ground.

"Ryoga! Get back, its not safe yet!" Ranma jumped the fence of his school, the crowd of onlookers, hovering around the main gate.

Howling more savagely than the greatest predator nature could produce, Taro came to his senses and began thrashing around, his snake-headed tail cutting into the structure's walls with incredible force. The building groaned as he struggled savagely to free himself. Snarling in anger, his hooves pounded the ground and his hands flailed, smashing concrete and upsetting the buildings already fragile state. It wasn't long before the structure began to give way completely and it finally fell on him entirely, kicking up a storm of dust and smoke.

Fists and tentacles punching upwards out from under the debris, Taro pulled his body free with a triumphant snort. Rising to his full impressive height, he waded through the rubble, brushing himself off as he slowly made his way towards Ranma once more.

Ryoga angled around the creature and jumped on the back of its neck, punching furiously. Taro was ready for him this time though and, with a mighty shake of his horned head, he managed to dislodge Ryoga. With nothing to hold onto, the Lost Boy was sent flying off altogether, landing on the hard pavement with a cry of pain.

Ranma leapt up and kicked Taro in the snout, covering for his fallen comrade. He was forced down to the ground again when Taro reared his head, trying to impale the boy on his horns. "Yow! It's like fighting Godzilla!"

Taro reached into the depths of his fur and pulled out another flask. Opening it, he threw it at Ranma, drenching him before he could dodge, turning him into a female. A loud choking sound came from the monster's muzzle in what she guessed passed for a mocking laugh.

"So that's how this game is going to be played, eh?" She shook her fist angrily, glaring with hatred. _He's trying to make me weaker by activating my curse. Well, that's fine with me! I may be weaker as a girl, but I'm a whole lot faster! _

She rushed to the side and slammed her foot into Taro's tail, then flipped away as the monster bought its fist down where she had been standing seconds before, forming a large impact crater in the ground.

"Katchu Tenshin Amiguriken!" Ranma leapt gracefully into the air, showered the monster's face with punches, aiming for his nose. Pantyhose snorted and once again knocked her away with his boulder sized fist, barely fazed. Ranma skidded across the ground on her back, cursing darkly as rocks cut into her skin. Flipping to her feet, she took a deep breath that caused her breasts to heave with effort. It seemed hopeless! Her speed wasn't even fazing him! With such a large body at his disposal, her attacks weren't causing enough damage.

Ryoga appeared at Ranma's side. "It's no use, Ranma," he said with a voice barely audible and full of pain. "We can't pin him down."

"We'll think of something," Ranma assured him with as much confidence as she could muster, wiping away sweat and blood from her face. Taro charged at them head down, bellowing with rage, hooves tearing up the concrete beneath him.

"Ranma, get back!"

Ryoga pushed her sharply aside then steadied himself, forgetting about his tired and hurting body. Right before Taro could strike, he grabbed the creature's horns, stopping it dead in its tracks. The beast struggled, straining to push Ryoga over, but he pivoted to the left and hurled the monster to the side, tossing him a great distance. Taro flipped over and over in mid air, slamming into a telephone pole and snapping it off at the base. His impact with the ground caused such a strong tremor that it knocked some of the bystanders over completely. He snorted, temporally phased, his tail flailing wildly.

"Ranma! Catch!" Genma shouted, throwing Ranma a kettle of hot water.

Ranma jumped up and caught it. "Thanks Pop!" She grinned and gave him a thumbs up sign. She considered using it on herself but quickly thought better of it. It would be much more useful if it were used to return Taro to human form. At least then they would be fighting on more equal terms. She couldn't afford to waste a single drop on herself.

Enraged, Pantyhose rose to his feet and attacked Ryoga. His tail swung around at blinding speed and wrapped itself around the boy's neck like a whip, choking him. Ryoga gasped, as his neck start to give way to the pressure. His feet left the ground as Taro elevated his struggling body, eliminating his chance of escape. The eel head at the end of the tail bit down on his arm, cutting into his flesh with its small razor sharp teeth. Slowly, second by second, the tail constricted just a little bit more, choking the life from his body.

"R-Ran-Ranma! Help me!" He whispered as his awareness started to fade. His vision started to darken around the corners of his eyes and his legs began to twitch violently.

"Let him go!" Ranma dumped the scalding hot water onto Taro, changing him back to a human almost instantaneously.

Ryoga fell to the ground as the tail disappeared, sucking in air with zeal. That had been too close! He forced himself to keep from blacking out as he watched Ranma keep the confused Taro at bay with a renewed set of determined attacks. He just needed a moment to gain his second wind. The pain his wound was causing flared up to an even greater level, and he winced visibly.

Shocked at being changed back so unexpectedly, Taro's reaction time was basically nonexistent and he took the beating of a lifetime from Ranma's fists. This led to signs of him slowing down but he didn't stop fighting completely. He gathered his strength and counter-attacked, fueled by his rage and frustration. Taking several sharp hits to her face, Ranma realized that turning her enemy back into a human hadn't fazed him as much as she would have liked.

The Chinese warrior took up a more aggressive stance. He was completely naked now, though that fact didn't seem to matter much to him. All that existed in his world was the desire to be the best and kill his hated rivals. Petty things like modesty meant little in the grand scheme of things. His speed had returned now that he was human again, and he used this to match Ranma blow for blow. His slightly greater skill made itself apparent and he resumed thrashing his enemy with vigor. And yet, for all Taro's ferocity, Ranma took his attacks and returned the favor many times over, forcing the older boy to yield ground. Without his armor, he was now susceptible to the same damage he had been giving out.

Summoning his waning determination, Taro knocked Ranma away from him with his foot, slamming it into her windpipe. Ranma's eyes bulged and she fell to one knee, gasping for breath, choking and massaging her neck.

Taro snarled, glaring down at his fist, a fist that could crush boulders but for some reason, was unable to fell his greatest enemy of all time. "Impossible! Don't you two have limits? Don't you feel pain in your broken bodies? The moves I've used should have been able to put you six feet under ten times by now! I simply don't understand it!"

His eyes fell on them and he twitched with uncontrolled rage, tempting them to rise and fight once more. It was obvious what was going through Taro's mind. For the first time he envisioned a possible defeat. He was scared that he would lose the fight and that motivated them more than ever before.

Ranma steadied her shaking legs. "Heh, don't you get it, moron? So long as you threaten our lives, we'll overcome anythin' to resist you. If I have to return from the afterlife a hundred times to oppose you, don't think I won't do it!"

Taro ground his teeth together_. I should have killed them last week and been done with it!_ "Still sputtering that same nonsense are we? Since when have you been the type to go off shouting bullshit idealism and heroic one-liners? Talk all you want because when I kill you, it'll be all over! Instead of talking to me, I suggest you start praying to your maker because you'll be visiting him very soon!"

Ranma's eye's narrowed. _It could still go either way from this point. We are at our limit. What happens next will determine victory or death. We have to hit him now and hit him hard!_

_We're running out of time!_ Ryoga thought, raising his fist to attack again.

The pain radiating from the Lost Boy's side nearly caused him to throw up, but he gathered all his heart, all his courage, and walked towards the awaiting fight yet again. He was in until the end, for better or worse. He couldn't pull out now, that would be completely unacceptable. Ranma needed him, his friends depended on him, and his honor kept him going long after his body started screaming at him to stop fighting.

Taro's gaze was hard as steel. "Round three, then."

The combatants converged, screaming like demons and the fury of battle consumed them all once more. The will to survive and the will to conquer, these emotions made themselves apparent as further blows were landed, and it had yet to be seen which desire would prove to be the stronger. The slow dance of death had begun to pick up in speed and the three warriors had no choice but to keep on dancing to its tune.


	25. The Limits of Determination

Chapter Twenty Four: The Limits of Determination

Taro bared his teeth, wiping sweat from his forehead. _I can't be beaten! I am a Mazakin armor wearer! I'm invincible!_

How his enemies kept getting up after he crushed them time and time again amazed and perplexed him at the same time. They weren't that much stronger than they had been a week ago, he was sure of it. What was it that was giving them the power to match him blow for blow that hadn't been there a just a few days prior? Where did their edge come from?

His eyes went hard and he set his teeth. _I still have a few moves I haven't used yet and it's clearly time I went all out! _Screaming with rage, he rushed at his hated foes, attacking with a renewed desire to kill. Occupied with his fist attacks, as he launched volley after volley in their directions, neither of the two boys noticed Taro's right foot turn red as power flowed into it, channeled from all parts of his body. The blaze intensified, engulfing his entire foot in an orb of fire. Falling gracefully onto one strong arm, he spun his leg around in a wide arc, catching the two completely off guard.

"Flame Kick!" The energy increased the strength of his kick and struck the two boy's in the chest in a side sweeping motion, hurling them backwards with devastating results. Bruised and singed from the move's powerful abilities, it weakened them further, bringing Taro that much closer to victory. Grinning arrogantly, the Chinese man ended the attack and dropped into a crouch, extinguishing the flame with his mind.

"How many special moves do you have?!" Ranma grunted in frustration, attempting to pick herself up off the ground.

He grinned savagely, looking around at the crowd of onlookers. "We're putting on quite a show, wouldn't you say? As strong as you both are, your moves sadly lack when compared to my own! You're not the only one who knows how to channel power to various parts of the body, Ranma. Believe it or not, that attack that is so very much like yours is one of my own designs. I mastered it over a year ago."

"You talk big," Ranma shouted, crawling to her feet, "but you're hurting too!"

"That's right. The odds are shifting in our favor now that you can't transform anymore!" Ryoga clutched his aching wound, simply struggling to remain upright.

Taro sneered. "Bold words coming from a little girlie and a half dead loser! I've defeated many stronger opponents, far more than either of you combined. In the end, you two wimps will fall just as they did! I targeted all of your past enemies not just to send you a message that I was coming, but to show you how very weak you truly were!"

He held his hands up high, powerful hands that desired blood. "Each of your three rivals that I crushed had managed to beat you at least once Ranma. The sheer fact that I beat them all, one after another, proves I'm far stronger than you could ever hope to be. The only reason you've lasted this long is because there are two of you. But I've faced two on one odds before and your futile struggles are about to become a moot issue!"

Most didn't believe him though. Elation and excitement spread through the students and teachers of the Nerima school watched their two hero's slowly push back the odds against them. The crowd was cheering Ranma and Ryoga on, issuing a roar of support that even a deaf man could hear.

The noise reached Taro's battled-hardened mind and for a moment, gave him pause. No one had ever cheered him on before! No one had ever supported him when the chips were down! It wasn't fair! Why did he always have to be the bearer of misfortune?! Why did he have to be labeled as a freak and an outcast?

Memories rushed back to him, painful times that he had tried so hard to forget…

* * *

"Take that, you monster!" Laughing, the boy threw a rock at the younger kid in front of him. He was a slightly heavyset lad, with brown eyes and a youthful face that was currently contorted into a hard, hateful look. He was clad in simple clothes customary to children of the villiage: a dirty shirt and jeans that had been torn at the knees and a pair of shapeless shoes. Behind him stood a group of five other children and, judging by the way they watched his movements, it was clear they looked to him as a leader.

The rock he threw struck the young boy Taro in the head and he fell backwards onto his rear, rubbing at the painful mark it had left on his forehead. He stared up at the older boy with a dazed and confused look on his face, and his shining eyes spoke of a haunting pain. This incident had occurred before, many times before. But that didn't matter, because no matter how many times it occurred, the pain never lessened.

"Isn't that a bit much, Yan? Calling him a monster, I mean." Another boy asked, moving stand behind the heavier lad.

Yan turned his head back to look at the inquiring boy and shot him a look, as if to say he had asked the most ridiculous question imaginable. "Don't be stupid, it's all true! Taro's a freak of nature and I don't trust him."

Taro stood up, shock turning into defiance. "I am not a monster or a freak!"

"Shut up!" Yan pushed Taro over with a palm slap to his chest. "You aren't a normal human, papa said so! You turn into a monster with water, don't you?"

"Its not like I wanted this stupid curse," Taro muttered, angry tears threatening to fall from his eyes. Once again he rose to his feet. "It was just something I was born with."

"Nobody likes you, Taro!" the elder boy jeered. "You don't belong here. You and your stupid mother should just leave town and save us the trouble of having to run you out."

"What did you call my mother?" Taro's eyes hardened with anger. He took a step towards the older boy, balling his little hands into fists. Children could be so terribly cruel sometimes, especially to those people different from themselves. Until now, Taro had come to believe that nothing anyone said could hurt him anymore. He had long since believed that the constant abuse and jeering from the fellow children had rendered him indifferent. But Yan had proven that idea wrong today and Taro felt a well of anger rise up inside of him.

"She's not much of a mother if she gave birth to a freak like you," Yan said, stirring the fire. He saw the reaction his words were causing in Taro's eyes and sought to intensify the confrontation. A slight, cruel smile creased his lips.

"Nobody talks about my mother like that. _Nobody_!" Taro stepped forward again.

The small group of children, sensing the brewing of a fight, formed a circle around Taro and Yan. Taking a hesitant step backwards, Taro felt a twinge of fear. There were too many for him to deal with, and none of the grownups could hear him if he cried out. Even if they did hear, they probably wouldn't come. The hard reality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks. His mother couldn't save him this time so he would have to do it on his own.

"Maybe if we beat some sense into you, you'll get the hint," Yan suggested smugly, moving towards Taro. "Let's get him!"

The other children, even those who secretly did not hate Taro obeyed the command of their leader out of fear. They pounced on Taro and reigned down blow after blow, knocking him to the ground where he curled up into a defensive ball to protect his face. Yan took that opportunity to kick him in the head and back, the little cruel smile spreading farther across his wide face.

The pain was terrible and Taro clutched himself tighter as tears sprung from his eyes. _Make it stop, make it stop, make it stop, make it stop!_

A kick fell across his spine sending a spasm of pain spiking to his head. Punches continued to rain down across his sides and legs, and his muscles screamed in protest. Pain became his world and he fell into head first.

_Momma, help me!_

Pushing the other children back, Yan roughly hauled Taro up by his hair and punched him square in the nose. While the punch did not break his nose as was its intent, it propelled the boy backwards onto his rear where he sat in a daze, feeling a trickle of blood trailing down from his nostrils, dripping past his lips. He looked up at Yan with a look of more pain and confusion than any child should ever have to know.

"Why did you hit me? I'm just a little different… but I'm still human. Why are you so mean to me?"

Yan spit on the ground in his direction. "You're nothing but trash! You have no place here. Come on guys lets go."

Taro watched them go as he sat there in a stupor on the ground. No one came to check on him, to make sure he was ok. His body hurt all over but he knew he wouldn't feel safe until he made it home. Hauling himself up on limbs that screamed for mercy, he began to sob despite himself, wiping blood from his nose as he limped home. The villagers he passed made no attempt to help him, and most simply turned away, ignoring him completely.

His house was rather far away, nestled near a forest on the outside of town. As he approached the cozy cottage he could see his mother sweeping the front walkway with a straw broom. By chance she happened to turn his way as he approached and she took note of his condition, eye's widening in horror.

"Taro!"

She ran up to him and gently took him in her arms. Crouching down on one knee so she could look him directly in the eye, she clasped his shoulders. "What happened sweetheart?"

Taro turned his head away, looking at the ground. "I… I fell down."

His mother cupped his chin and made him look up at her. Her soothing brown eyes melted his resolve to stay strong in front of her. "Taro, it's ok. Tell me the truth."

His drying tears renewed. "I'm different and they hate me, Momma. They always hit and kick me. I hate being different! They call me a monster and a freak. Why did I have to be born different? I just want to be like everyone else!"

Suddenly his mother burst into tears of her own and she cradled her only child, her one love to her and held him, radiating as much love and warmth into her child as she could. "I'm so sorry, Taro. So very, very sorry."

For some reason her crying only made him feel worse and he clung to her as fiercely as his hurt body could. "Please don't cry momma. It isn't your fault."

"I love you so much, darling. The other kids can be so cruel sometimes, I know that. I'll fix this problem once and for all! No one picks on my son like that!"

She tended to his wounds with more love and care than any nurse could hope to give. After that, she had gone to town to deal with the problem, anger glistening in her eyes like the sun on a pond in the early morning. She had returned in just over an hour later with a large bruise on her cheek, her angry expression turned defiant. She had remained strong in front of her son, promising him that things would only get better from then on.

But Taro was not fooled and it would have taken a deaf man to not hear her muffled sobs that night. She always tried so hard to defend him, even at the cost of her own pride and safety. She was far from well liked by the village population too and somehow, getting beat by the other kids hurt far less than the pain that stirred from within the confines of his heart when he heard her cry.

_Why do things have to be too hard? Why do people have to hate me because I'm different? I don't understand._

Covering his ears tightly in an attempt to escape the pain, he had rolled around his bed that night in the grip of agony. _Someone, please tell me why…._

* * *

A renewed cheer from the crowd brought Taro back to his senses a moment later. Anger blossomed up and his eyes narrowed to slits. So Ranma and Ryoga wanted to be heroes, did they? He'd just have to kill them! Let the crowd try and cheer then! The flowers and grass below him would drink in their blood.

He spit on the ground in disgust. "It's not over. Don't celebrate yet! You two have yet to see my ultimate attack, far stronger than any pitiful final attack you two have! I designed it myself over weeks of hard training in the mountains of China! I will not lose! The crowd is cheering you both on to your deaths!" Clenching his fists, he howled loudly at divine creation, summoning the greater reserve of his power into a blazing sphere in his right hand.

Not to be outdone, Ranma and Ryoga also dove into their souls, salvaging the last scraps of power they had left. As waves of power rose from their tense forms like steam off water, the very air became charged with power. The sky crackled ominously, sensing the climax to the greatest fight Nerima had ever seen.

"Ranma, you can do it!" Akane's encouragement found its way to his ears, strengthening his resolve. He had to win, if not for himself, then for her. So long as his life mattered to even one individual, he would fight as hard as he could to survive. Someday he would marry Akane and anyone who tried to take that away from them would be punished.

"Ukyo, tell me you hate me!" Ryoga ordered.

Ukyo hesitated, bringing her hands up and clasping them together. "But, Ryoga...I..."

"Do it! It's important!" He barked. "Say everything you can to hurt me!"

Ukyo took a deep breath and closed her eyes because she knew there was no way she could lie to him so blatantly and make eye contact. "I hate you, Ryoga Hibiki! Ranma is ten times the man you are! You're weak, overly sensitive, and a loser! You're a child, a total gullible fool! "She hated saying it. The words she spoke tore though her heart like glass. Why had he asked her to say such a hurtful thing when he was out there fighting while under tremendous pain?

Ryoga's eyes went wide and he began to tremble. He was gullible but it worked to his advantage this time and he forgot that he had ordered her to say those things in the first place. The words tore into him like knives.

She hates me! I knew it! I knew it! It was too good to be true…. No woman could ever love a man like me…

Depression consumed his soul and he felt his dark ki strengthen to an unimaginable level. His plan utterly forgotten, he succumbed entirely to his own darkest emotions, howling like a demon as if he intended to crack the foundation of the heavens with his anguish.

"Chaos Maelstrom!"

A huge column of black power flew from Taro's right hand. The ground beneath him cracked and gave way and he nearly lost his footing. The onlookers gasped in shock and horror. It wasn't that the move was anything special in appearance; it was just a straight beam after all. It was the sheer depth of sadness and raw hatred it unleashed into the air around it, the fuel Taro had used to create it. No doubt the negative feelings of hatred that powered the attack had long been kept in his heart, swirling like its namesake.

This is it, Ryoga! Moko Takabisha!"

"Shishi Hoko-Dan!'

Ranma's yellow beam attack and Ryoga's blue one merged together, forming a huge beam of pure energy, equally balanced between light and dark, and sharing the powers of both. Taro's blast slammed into theirs, creating a huge tide of power as the two waves pushed against the other over and over again, each struggling to break through the other.

"This match is mine! Blood Lance!"

From his left hand, Taro fired the now infamous attack into the Chaos Beam, merging the two sources of his power. The beam strengthened and he grinned, knowing the battle was his! His energy pushed Ranma and Ryoga's back towards themselves, threatening to envelope them in their own devastating power! Their current energy convection was no match for the column of absolute hate that came from Taro's very heart.

For a time the situation looked hopeless. But love and desperation can often times form a power that even the blackest hate can not penetrate! Ranma and Ryoga cried out, pouring their heart and souls into their attacks, increasing their ferocity to a level that shattered glass on houses from blocks around them as a shockwave lashed out in all directions. It surprised even them, drained as they were, and startled Taro to no end. Such a feat should have been impossible for two so injured as they were.

_Impossible! _Taro set his legs and fought against their renewed strength as his attack was pushed back in his direction. He fought it will all his strength of will and mind but, inch by inch, Ranma and Ryoga's power closed in on him like a snapping predator, and a sinking feeling settled in the pit of his stomach.

_I can't hold it back!_ Fear and exhaustion broke his concentration and, with a blinding flash, his powerful beam dissipated into nothingness as the convection of power died from his hands. His energy reserves spent themselves completely, leaving him without means to defend his own faltering body. Colossal as it was, his strong spirit had no more to give. He had no power left to call on as his own and this realization caused his face to whiten as doom descended upon him.

"It's not possible!"

His eyes widened and his mouth opened to scream as their combined beams struck him dead on in the chest. The power of the attack flowed through his soul and played across his body, submerging him in a sea of pain. He howled again as the beams flung him backwards, exploding against his skin, sending smoke billowing skyward for untold miles. He disappeared amidst the chaos as the already damaged ground cracked completely and fell out from beneath his feet, spilling him into the shifting rock and dust below.

For an endless moment, nothing stirred, and no one dared to breathe.

Ranma fell to one knee, spent beyond all description. Wiping her brow she stared over at Ryoga smiling weakly. "That... should... have done it."

"No!" Taro charged out from the smoke, ignoring his singed body. He ran towards Ranma with murder written in his eyes, staggering badly from his severe burns. "I won't lose! I cannot be defeated!"

Ranma's heart fell into her stomach. "That's... insane!" _I don't have any extra energy to fend him off with! There's just no putting him down! All that negativity and hatred, he's going to destroy himself too if this keeps up!_

The depths and power of hatred are strong indeed, especially when coupled with a strong, stubborn soul like a martial artist's. Taro didn't care if he destroyed himself so long as he won, and that made him far more dangerous than any normal enemy could have ever hoped to be.

Ryoga intercepted Taro and grabbed onto his hands before Ranma could even react. He faced Taro head on, bearing his fangs. "I'll _never _forgive you!"

Amidst tear-stained, vacant eyes, the darkest chaos consumed his will and mind like a cancer, leaving his vulnerable soul to the ravaging devil that was depression and sadness. His face twisted in agony, as Taro actually shrunk back a bit, twisting to free himself. The potency of the words Ukyo had said had taken Ryoga far away from reason, and at the moment it appeared that his dark depression was the strongest weapon they had left. Its repercussions might just be too much for Ryoga's body to handle, and this worried Ranma to no end.

"Ryoga, be careful!" She took a step backwards. She didn't have the strength to stop Ryoga's maelstrom of depression and besides, it might be their only hope left. She only hoped his damaged body could hold up against the sheer strain his attack would put upon it.

_She hates me! It's his fault! He's the reason she hates me! _Ryoga's eyes turned bright red and his body glowed with dark energy that was beyond black. A demonic, tortured howl rose form his mouth and his eyes gleamed beneath the afternoon sun.

Ranma stared wide-eyed at his friend in fascinated horror. "R-ryoga!?"

"Taro, you won't escape," Ryoga hissed, muscles convulsing painfully. "I'm going to make you pay a _hundred _times over for making Ukyo hates me! Suffer the hellish agony I've come to experience you bastard! Ultimate Shishi Hokodan!"

A dark beam of energy shot several hundred feet skyward in the form of a vertical cylinder, hitting Taro with great strength and ferocity. As it passed upwards, it struck Taro hard all across his body and the only thing that kept him from being thrown backwards was Ryoga's death grip on his hands. Watching with panic stricken eyes as the huge sphere of power collected in the sky before starting a rapid decent, Taro attempted to dislodge himself from Ryoga's grasp by using the most vicious attacks he could think of. When that failed to work, he kicked at Ryoga's wound over and over but the Lost Boy just stared blankly ahead as tears of hatred and sadness stained his cheeks. His grip tightened even as his vacant eyes closed and his head slumped down, chin touching his chest, as if it had become too heavy to hold up.

Taro looked up again as hopeless fear filled his body. He realized with a numbing fear that, for once, there was nothing he could do. No feat of strength was going to save him this time. He struggled regardless, pushing away with all his might.

"Nooooo!"

For a brief second, something in Ryoga stirred and he let go of Taro, pushing the stricken boy backwards. A second later, the mass of power slammed into the ground around Ryoga, crushing Taro completely. Dark power consumed the Chinese boy's body and pushed him deep into the hard ground that had once been a street as it splintered around his feet. Crying out with inhuman agony, his form vanished amidst a blanket of furious energy light waves sprayed out across the midday sky. Rubble shards of various sizes flung themselves in all directions as the attack died down, firmly burying Taro in a sea of rubble.

The lights went out in Ryoga's eyes, dimming slowly as exhaustion took the place of depression. Staring blankly at Ukyo, renewed tears fell from his face onto the ruined ground in which he stood. "Ukyo..." A mass of blood sputtered from his wound and he collapsed into an unmoving heap on the ground.

"Ryoga!" Ukyo started to run out to him, pushing Soun and Genma away from her with great strength. "Let me go! He needs me!"

Ranma held up her hand. "Wait, Ukyo, I don't think Tar-"

"Damn you, Ranma!" An inhuman growl announced itself and the ground exploded outwards with violent force. Taro rushed from the crater in which he had been buried, clutching his severely wounded right arm as blood trailed down onto the ground. His scorched and cut body somehow continued to support him and his vicious assault. The extent of his willpower was simply astounding. Ranma could not help but be impressed.

"I… will... succeed! I will… beat you..." Taro struggled to put one foot in front of another. "I've worked too hard… planned too much… to be defeated…"

Ranma shook her head, sighing. The wind snapped at her pigtail as gust whipped by. "Stop, Taro. The fight is over. You've got nothing further to gain by this besides pain."

Taro turned and leapt toward Ranma with an outstretched fist. "No! I won't lose! I _can't _lose! Not again! Not after how hard I trained!"

Ranma blocked a flurry of kicks and swept Taro's legs out from under him. Rolling backwards onto his feet, Taro landed a clean uppercut as Ranma advanced, clipping her jaw and throwing her back. She turned her fall into a midair flip and planted her foot into Taro's sternum, spinning the enraged boy to the ground

"Flame Kick!" Taro dropped down and spun on one arm, igniting his foot and aiming for Ranma's temple.

"No you don't!"

Ranma blocked his attack by intercepting with her fist, which also glowed with the same brilliant flame. Sparks flew as their attacks collided then broke away, causing a ripple in the air around them that the entire crowd of onlookers could see. Taro hadn't expected his move to be countered and he dropped low, warily scanning Ranma with something resembling hesitation. Taro was running on his last legs at last, and he knew he couldn't make any more mistakes.

"I guess it doesn't take much power to perform that trick, eh Taro? Ryoga's attack has crippled you! Put some clothes on and go home already. I don't wanna' hurt you anymore."

Taro spat blood from his mouth. "Good, because you won't be doing the hurting!"

Jump kicking, he brought both his feet up into Ranma's stomach, doubling her over and kicking her body back across the street that had already been torn up far beyond repair. She staggered to her feet yet again; vomiting blood as incapacitating pain filled her mind and body.

"I have you! Matrix Orb!"

Taro rushed forward, planting his hand on Ranma's forehead and flexed his arm, calling on power that would destroy Ranma once and for all. Her head rose blankly ahead, eyes moving to look from Taro's hateful gaze, to his hand. Fear consumed her as her certain execution commenced.

Nothing happened.

"What?!" Taro gritted his teeth and, balling his hand, calling on some shred of power. He tried to summon his power again but nothing happened. Suddenly, he was flying backwards as Ranma's fist clipped his nose, breaking it cleanly. As his back hit the ground, he stared blankly upward, cursing his ill fortune.

_I must have run completely out of energy... Shit...SHIT!_

Ranma dove on him a second later, launching frenzied punches, pummeling his defenseless body until the concrete beneath him shattered, dumping his form into a small impact crater. Stepping away at last, Ranma clutched her burning shoulder as it trailed blood, shaking with exertion. "It's over!"

Taro slowly rolled over, scrapping at the ground with his hand, carving rivets with his nails. "Gonna'... kill... you..."

His eyes fell on Ryoga as he lay helplessly on the ground, blood trailing from his wounded side. A wild grin filled his features, stretching from ear to ear. In his weakened state, Ryoga would be defenseless to an attack. He might not be able to beat Ranma, but if he was going to lose, he'd at least have the satisfaction of killing one of them first! Howling, he leapt skyward with outstretched arms, avoiding Ranma's grasp as he passed overhead. He just needed a few seconds and everything would be done. All he needed was one clean punch to crush Ryoga's windpipe.

_Just one clean punch..._ Taro knew he could do it.

Screaming in fear, Ukyo started sprinting forward to shield Ryoga with her own body. Even as she moved, running as fast as she could, a part of her knew she wouldn't get to her love in time. Taro leapt forward with great speed, determined to murder, to take the life of a man so many had come to care for. The look in his eyes showed his desire to drench his fist with blood.

Ranma shook with absolute horror. She didn't have anything left to fight with and her ability to use ki in her weakened state was impossible. She watched Taro dive forward with naked anger and as her stomach turned cold, she realized there was nothing she could do. Broken and hurt as she was, she had nothing left to give and her reduced speed wasn't enough to reach Ryoga in time.

Abruptly, she slapped herself in the cheek. _Bull! I can't just give up! I got to find a way!_

She gritted her teeth as her cool blue eyes closed, wishing, and hoping for a solution. She was more than a little surprised when she opened them again and saw a small ball of energy flickering in her hand like a candle. Then she realized, it wasn't that she couldn't fight, she simply had no choice! She _had _to keep fighting because a friend's life depended on it! Her body reacted instinctively and while it nearly caused her to pass out, she fought back against the darkness forming at the edge of her vision and concentrated the power into a desperate attack.

"Perfect Moko Takabisha!"

Firing a hurried blast with the very last drop of her strength, Ranma struck Pantyhose in the side with a glancing shot. The energy ran through his already ravaged body, causing all of his nerve endings to scream out in agony then go numb. His nervous system temporarily shut down as bolts of yellow power caressed his body with its destructive touch. There was no human way to describe the pain his scream contained.

Taro fell to the ground in a broken heap near his chosen target, whimpering pitifully at his unfortunate turn of events. Pain filled his existence and he vomited blood, struggling just to breathe as he retched in agony. The body and spirit of the invincible warrior had finally been broken once and for all. Unable to move his body, Taro simply ran his head along the ground until he could look at Ranma with a questioning look on his face.

"How did you… have any energy left to do that? It's no fair... All I wanted was…" Gasping for breath, his eyes rolled up into his head and his trashed body shuttered and became still as unconsciousness took him.

The crowd cheered and rushed out to meet the two victorious fighters as one solid mass. As Ranma stood on shaky legs, Akane embraced her fiercely, weeping tears of joy. Ranma held her, and felt a few tears fill her eyes as well. For once she didn't care though, and just let indulge in the joy of the moment.

"I couldn't let him take what we're forming away from us, Akane. I fought for you, I did it all for you," she whispered.

Akane kissed her cheek, sniffling and trying to appear brave. "I know," she whispered back. "I'm so proud of you!"

Soun and Genma embraced Ranma next with tears in their eyes and proud smiles on their faces. She smiled weakly, leaning on them for support. Her body felt bruised and broken but sheer elation and the feeling of love around her made the pain fade some, as if by magic. She even managed her trademark 'that was nothing, I'm the best!' cocky grin and winked at her family as everyone around her went wild with relief. Tension and stress seemed to bleed away into the atmosphere above.

Ukyo ran to Ryoga's side and knelt next to him, wrapping her arms gently around him as he struggled to rise to a sitting position, his body trembling terribly. "Oh, Ryoga, you were magnificent! I don't hate you; I don't hate you at all! Never believe that again! I love you!"

Ryoga's eyes fluttered open and traces of a blissful expression appeared on his face. "I hurt, Ukyo. My body feels like its on fire... I don't think I can walk..."

"Doctor Tofu," Ukyo called urgently. "Ryoga's hurt bad!"

The kindly doctor pushed through the crowd of people and looked the boy over, using what supplies he had in his portable kit. "We'll get him to a hospital right away. With a lot of bed rest, he'll be good as new! It doesn't look like any of your vital organs were seriously damaged but then again; I don't have the proper equipment here to tell for sure. We'll take him right to the emergency room, Ukyo! You can ride with." Paramedics rushed to the scene shortly thereafter and took Ryoga and Ukyo to the hospital.

As another ambulance prepared to load up Ranma, the crowd of people went silent as Taro limped toward him with pain written on his face. Placing one foot in front of the other was almost beyond him but he stubbornly continued on. He had covered his naked body with loosely snapped together parts of his armor, but its formerly magnificent image was gone forever. He had somehow rigged it together to form a very crude, broken image of what it had once been, a former vision of strength and terror.

He stopped and looked at Ranma with a sad expression. "Ranma, you two have defeated me. I announce you and Ryoga as the winners."

Ranma shook her head with exhaustion. "This has gone far beyond victory or defeat. You look like you're in pretty bad shape. We'll get you to a hospital where they can-"

"No!" Taro cut her off. "Thank you, but I wish… for no treatment after such a disgrace. These wounds will help serve as a reminder… of my failure on this day. Farewell, Ranma. Perhaps someday, we will… meet again..."

Dark mist covered his body, and when it cleared, Pantyhose Taro was gone, teleported away by some small scrap of power he had managed to regain during his short rest.

The fight of their lives was over, the threat was gone. At last, Ranma and Ryoga could live in peace. Sighing heavily, Ranma allowed herself to fall onto the stretcher and fell asleep even before the ambulance crew had finished closing the back doors.

Storm clouds which had been gathering dispersed then, sending the winds of nightmares elsewhere.

* * *

The powerful entity trapped in the body of a small baby, turned his mind away from the view of Ranma he had been observing. The fight had been interesting and even up until the end even he couldn't deny that he had been impressed by the powers the three combatants had displayed. He had placed his hopes on the Shadow Warrior, hoping that the variable to his plan would kill Ranma and his friend, thereby enabling his goals to jump farther ahead. There was a tinge of dissapointment in the outcome of the duel but at least it had allowed him to properly gauge Ranma's newfound skill and the extreme limits of his abilities.

The young martial artist had vastly improved and would probably continue to do so. His body was young, hardy, and still growing. His overall potential would probably continue to rise, especially after fighting a powerful opponent like Taro. He would have to be dealt with. He was after all, the one problem that stood in the way of the Entity's grand plan.

The baby shifted in its crib, awaiting one of the attendants to come check up on him. This body would take time to develop. Not as long as a human child, but a considerable amount of time none-the-less. He would have to activate his pawns, people he had chosen while scouring the world with his mind's eye. None of them knew that they would be his servants of course; he didn't control them through direct means. He would merely put thoughts into their heads, suggestions, hints, fragments of visions that would lead them to Ranma. Then, with his subtle influence, he would create situations where battle would occur. Eventually, Ranma would die, hopefully in a most painful way. Yes, he would probably survive against some of pawns, but he had many to call on and nothing but time to kill.

The first of his two pawns should already be in motion. He had learned of their goals and desires, searching through human minds and reading their desires was all too easy to do. Finding these two strong pawns, he studied their ideals, dreams and motivations and had triggered rumors and idea's into their heads pointing to Japan, convincing them that what they sought could be found there. Like moths to a flame, they would surely be lured, completing the task for their unknown master.

Everyone allows themselves to hope and dream, and to chase after what they seek the most. He was a master of manipulating these desires and capitalizing on them. It was his greatest strength at present. Mortal man was so weak minded and willed as a whole, so easy to control if one knew how.

Within the child, the entity settled down, allowing his power to submerge for the time being. It would be a very interesting time and he was going to enjoy every second of it.

Allowing himself to become the child once more, he opened his mouth and started to cry, summoning the attention of the nurse. Sucking on a bottle a moment later the baby coo'ed happily and soon drifted off into a deep sleep.

The nurse attendant smoothed the thick white hair from the child's forehead. "Such a good baby," she smiled affectionately and went back to her seat, awaiting the next awakening of the child.


	26. A Reunion of Rivals

Chapter Twenty Five: A Reunion of Rivals

Two weeks after the decisive battle:

Upon his request, Ranma was placed in Ryoga's room where the two lay on their beds on opposite ends of the room. Akane and Ukyo sat beside them after school each day, keeping them company during the long, boring afternoons. Both of the boys had spent more time in the hospital than they wanted to already. As it turned out, Ranma was being released in another week while Ryoga, with his more serious wounds, would have to wait a while longer.

"You two are the hot topic all around school," Akane told them. "Everyone can't wait for you two to get out. The school officials are going to hold a party in your honor."

Ukyo kissed Ryoga on the forehead. "What you did took a lot of courage. I'm very proud of you! You must care about Ranma a lot to do what you did."

Ryoga smiled. "He would have done the same thing for me." The two boys made eye contact and they acknowledged the bond that had formed. It was deeper than friendship, formed from camaraderie, sacrifice, and the simple believe in the other's abilities. It had been this bond that Taro had failed to see, failed to crush. Because of that, it had cost him the chance for victory.

Nurse Nako came into the room with a nervous look on her face. "Um, there are three odd gentlemen here to see you two. I told them that visiting hours where over but they insisted on seeing you both right away."

"Let 'em in," Ranma said. I can't keep my adoring fans waiting."

The nurse nodded and disappeared out the door. A minute later three old rivals strode through the door one behind the other. Ranma blinked several times as his mind struggled to break way from the shock. Before him stood Toma, Kirin, and Herb, all clad in majestic ceremonial attire. Ranma tried to think of something to say, but he froze up. An uncomfortable silence followed thereafter. It wasn't often that three of his strongest rivals arrived before him without a word to anyone.

"We heard of your victory, Ranma," Herb said, breaking the ice. His normally cold, feral eyes shone with ill accustomed warmth. He didn't seem to be completely at ease with the lack of decorum, but the Dragon Prince kept such feelings to himself. "Thank you for avenging us."

"Hey guys, long time no see!" Ranma grinned. "You all the last people I'd expect to show up! Did you all plan to meet up together or what?"

"It was coincidence really," Toma answered, smiling broadly. His face still bore some of the marks from his fight weeks before but it did nothing to mar his good nature. "We all arrived at the Tendo Dojo for a visit at about the same time and we found that we had all been defeated in combat by the same scoundrel. Due to our injuries we didn't make it to Japan in time to pay Taro back."

" It is most unfortunate that Kirin did not arrive in time for the fight but we heard the whole story from your fathers. You two are indeed strong fighters. Kirin has never held as much respect for anyone as he does for you." The Nekonron Lord bowed to them humbly.

"There is one thing we never found out about this whole mess. What happened to Pantyhose Taro?" Herb asked.

"We don't know," Ryoga responded. "I guess he's on his way home to China. He was pretty hurt so he probably stopped somewhere on his way to rest and recuperate."

Herb nodded. "I will hold no grudges, this time. We three have discussed it and none of us are going to go looking for revenge. When a man of such great evil is defeated, he is essentially broken. He no longer posses a threat to me and for now, that is enough to satisfy me. I myself was inspired by my defeat and I've increased my training substantially in the meantime."

"How long are you going to be staying in Nerima?" Ranma asked.

"It depends. We all have matters to attend here. Plus, the three of us will help your school to hold a party in honor of you two valiant fighters." Toma held his hands out wide, enthusiastic as any normal young boy would be when a party was declared.

"Who is this young lady?" Herb asked, pointing to Ukyo. His interest suddenly peaked.

"Oh. Kirin, Herb, meet Ukyo, my life long friend," Ranma said.

The two Chinese men bowed to her. ""Hello. It is a pleasure to meet you.""

"Hey guy's watch it! Don't make any passes. Ryoga's got her!"

Ukyo blushed and bowed back. "Hi. I've heard a lot about you both."

Herb grinned wolfishly. "If it came from Ranma it couldn't have been good! I deny all charges."

"H-hey!" Ranma said indignantly. "I didn't say nothin' bad! Not that there's much good to say about the leader of a tribe who marries cursed animals..."

Herb frowned. "Hey, I banned that law."

"Hello, Akane! How are you? Its been a while!" Toma asked, walking over to her.

Akane bowed politely, but her facial expression matched that of an older sister talking to a beloved younger brother. "Toma! It's been a while! How have things been?"

"Pretty tedious, actually. Its such a bore doing the same things day after day."

Akane smiled good-naturedly. "Well, we'll do our best to see that you have a fun vacation while your here!"

Toma bowed. "You are truly generous, Lady Akane! My thanks to you!"

"Hey Toma, you and your animal men still bride hunting?" Ranma asked. "Just so ya' know, you make passes at Akane like you did last time and we're gonna' have words again."

"Bride hunting? Hmmm." Toma scratched his chin. "Well, that isn't exactly the term I would use. No. I've realized that I am still too young to think about marriage."

Herb coughed. "I have given up on such exploits for the time being as well. Besides, Mint and Lime are still recovering from their wounds and my people need me. It is not a proper time to be selfish."

"Maybe in another three years or so, I'll be ready," Toma added.

"Or nine or ten!" Ranma added with mock cheerfulness.

"Were you wounded badly?" Herb asked Ryoga, kneeling beside his bed. "I heard the town's people talking…"

Ryoga pulled up his shirt and the group gasped. The skin around the wound was bright purple and the tissue was red and irritated. Fortunately the doctors had managed to stop the internal bleeding before it became a critical medical problem but all the pain killer medicine in the world couldn't stop the dull throb that beat over and over within him, like a set of drums.

"How did you continue to fight the Shadow Warrior with such a wound?" Herb reached into his pocket and pulled out a container. "Here. This herb is found only in my land and it is famous for its ability to help heal wounds very quickly. Just crumble it up in your tea or water and you will see a remarkable difference right away. It will take away all the pain, at least."

"Thank you. Your gift is most appreciated," Ryoga said, taking the box.

"Well, it's the least I could do for a fellow martial artist."

"Ha! That's the dragon's blood in ya' talking! All honorable and junk," Ranma teased.

Herb shot him a look. "I can be… _nice _when the situation calls for it, Saotome."

"Kirin too has something to present." He removed a red box from a satchel at his side. "Kirin presents you with the 'God's Fire' Ranma." He opened the box and pulled out a necklace. Just as the name implied, there was a God's fist surrounded by flames in a pendant. "It is only given to the most honorable of fighters by a Nekononron prince. Kirin wishes you to wear it and wear it proud." He placed it around Ranma's neck.

"Awww Kirin, I don't know what to say." Ranma said.

"Say nothing. One's true feelings come not from the lips but from the heart."

_That's certainly true._ Ranma smiled at Akane who blushed furiously and looked away, smiling softly.

Herb cleared his throat. "Sadly, I must depart for now. I have an important business appointment and I can't be late. Farewell everyone! I will see you all tomorrow."

"Bye Herb." Ranma waved good-bye. Herb turned around and offered up a rare smile before quietly teleporting from the room.

Kirin hit himself in the head. "Oh! Kirin forgot! Kirin promised to take Lichee shopping tonight in Tokyo. Good-bye everyone. Kirin will see you all tomorrow!" He dashed out the door like hell on wheels.

While no one in the room knew it yet, their different paths and destinies would cross again. Each would have their own trials and challenges to overcome. The shadow of evil was watching them all, eager to provide more chaos than Pantyhose Taro could have ever dreamed of supplying. For the present though, there was only a much needed sense of peace and accomplishment and it did much to soothe the souls of everyone who had been touched during the fiasco.

Ryoga chuckled, grabbing everyone's attention.

"What's so funny Ryo-chan?" Ukyo asked.

"We are among the strongest fighters in the world. We've faced foes both human and inhuman and yet, despite our skill and powers, we always fall all over ourselves to serve the person we love of the opposite sex. You gals don't realize the power you have over us."

Akane and Ukyo giggled. "Someone's gotta' keep you two in line," the short-haired girl teased.

"He speaks the truth," Toma said. "It is said that to have a female companion to love and be loved in return is the greatest joy a man could have."

Ranma nodded. "That explains how you had the energy to perform that last Shishi Hokodan. You loved her so much and her words hurt so bad it helped you break your own limits."

Nurse Nako came back into the room. "Ok, everyone visiting time is over. These two warriors need their rest."

Ukyo and Akane both kissed their respective boyfriends good-bye.

"Come ladies! I shall escort you home." Toma held the door open for them, smiling with surprising charm for a boy of fourteen. Ranma and Ryoga shot him slightly peeved looks; the little runt was far too charismatic and suave for his age. Ranma shook his head and chided himself for his immature feelings, Toma was a good kid, and had earned his respect.

Ryoga turned his head and looked at Ranma when they had gone. A gentle silence engulfed them, settling them into a more relaxed mood. "It's finally over, Ranma. We can live our lives in relative peace now."

"Yeah. It'll be nice to have some quiet for once. But I don't think Kuno or Kodachi will be going away anytime soon. I'm sure they'll cause enough mischief to make up for things."

"One can't have everything. Besides, we can't let things get too boring around here," Ryoga said, smiling. "You know, we fight really well together, don't we? I was thinking that when I get out I'll start teaching Ukyo how to use ki. If Akane can do it, so can Ukyo."

"Ha! Just don't use a depression attack. We don't need her blowing up city blocks while training."

Ryoga threw a pillow at him. "It won't be depression based you moron! Ukyo is too cheerful to use the Shishi Hoko-Dan properly."

"It was a joke, P-chan! Man, you're really dense sometimes."

"What did you call me?! Why if I could get out of bed I beat the ever living crap out of you!"

Ryoga's eyes shot up in mock surprise. "Oh really?!"

The two glared at each other for a moment then burst into laughter. Ryoga winced in pain. "OW! This wound is a pain in the neck!"

"Don't worry Ryoga, you heal up in no time! Sucks to be you, having to stay in the hospital a while longer, I mean."

"Yeah. You know... I've been having funny feelings a lot lately. It's like… I dunno, like something big is coming at us, like a storm. You ever feel like that? Like there's always something stronger waiting to challenge us, lurking in the shadows?"

Ranma shook his head. "Man, I hope you're wrong! We almost died in winning this fight! Who'd wanna' fight anyone stronger?! Saffron and Taro were more than enough for me. Knocking on death's door twice in just a few month's time is more than I ever wanted to do."

"Destiny is destiny, Ranma. You can't fight it. All you can do is go along with it."

Ranma snorted. "I don't believe in destiny, Ryoga. You make your own as far as I'm concerned."

Ryoga half shrugged. "Believe what you will, everyone has their own opinion."

"You certainly have changed over these past few weeks," Ranma noticed thoughtfully. "I don't know what to make of it."

"I have changed and it's for the better. Blame it on Ukyo's personality, its rubbing off on me."

"What about your berserk rage that you always used to get into? Is it gone forever?"

"Nah, not gone, just buried deep inside me. I'm pretty sure it'll resurface when I need it." Ryoga laid his head down on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. "Now that I'm not driven to fight for Akane, a girl I could never have to begin with, I think I'll be much better off. Having someone to care for me and be cared for in return really helps to beat the negative energy I used to rely on down to an all time low. And I couldn't be happier either.

Ranma nodded and turned to look up at the ceiling. "Ryoga?"

"What Ranma?" Ryoga asked, turning his head again.

"I was just thinking about the premonition you just told me about. That whole 'waiting to strike from the shadows' speech you just made. It got me thinkin'. Did you get the feeling throughout all this that everything felt…? I dunno… planned out? As if everything happened exactly as it did for a purpose? There have been too many coincidences this past week for my taste."

Ryoga looked quizzed. "What do you mean?"

Ranma stared at the ceiling thoughtfully for a moment. "It's just weird. I mean for two years we live out our crazy lives then all of a sudden, within the space of a week, Taro returns and nearly kills us. Then you nearly die twice. So many terrible events happening so close together… It's not natural."

Ryoga closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. "The day I nearly committed suicide, it felt like…" he paused, struggling to properly word what he was feeling, "like someone or something was _planting _thoughts into my head, capitalizing on my anguish. I know it sounds crazy, and I can't properly explain it, but I know that under normal circumstances I would never have tried to kill myself, and I know that Ukyo would never have hurt me. Stress and heartache can make people do strange things, but we both have too much strength and discipline for that. Something else is at work here…"

Ranma shifted his head to rest more squarely on the pillow and chuckled. "Maybe we're reading into all this too much?"

"Yeah, maybe."

"Hey Ryoga?"

"Hmm?"

"Thanks for being my friend. It really… ya know, means a lot."

Ryoga smiled wolfishly, settling himself back into his bed. "You are my friend and comrade now, Ranma. I will always fight beside you. Besides, no one is allowed to beat you up besides me. That's one rule I'll never change."

Ranma smiled and looked out the window. The sun was sinking amidst the sea of distant buildings and the stars were appearing, eager to start twinkling overhead. It soothed him, this peaceful dusk scene, and he took a deep breath, allowing his head to rest on his rather small hospital pillow.

It would take some getting used to Ryoga's new personality but he had to admit he liked his former rival better this way. Excluding the Kuno kids, everyone was growing closer to each other. And more importantly, everyone had found someone to love at last, as if nature had finally woken up to how things should be. Things were definitely looking up in the world! For the first time in a long time, Ranma Saotome was looking forward to see what tomorrow would bring. He had finally found happiness in the chaotic district of Nerima.

"It's over..." Smiling, Ranma closed his eyes and drifted off to a fit, restful sleep.

* * *

Shying away from the retreating rays of the intrusive sun that came in through the window of his room, a robed man nodded his head as another figure approached and knelt before him. Straight faced and obedient, the larger man adverted his eyes respectfully, awaiting his master's permission to speak. When he was given permission with a nod of the robed one's head, he smiled slightly, allowing a pint of his excitement to leak into his expression.

"It is time, my master," the strong man said. "I may have found those whom we require to gain your salvation. I'll continue to have our men observe them for the next few weeks. If my guess is right, the path to your ascension is but a few steps away."

_"Has it been verified, Zero?" _

The robed man smiled, revealing glistening, needle-sharp teeth. His subordinate's words pleased him greatly, even if it was too early to be sure yet. His eye's shown with a hellishly bright red power that knew no depth.

_"Do I dare to hope at last for a lead that will service our desires?" _He laughed, a ragged choking sound that one usually heard from a dying old man, discharging red energy with relish from his body that blotted out the sun as it peaked in through the window.

"It has not," came the reply. "At least not yet. I believe all will be as you wish. As I've said before, several members of the Hand went out to verify."

_"Well done."_

His apprentice had truly outdone himself in his search and that was worthy of the lord's praise, which he certainly did not give out freely. He turned to sear back out at the window. If his subordinate's words were indeed fact, there was much cause to be excited. At last he would achieve what had been denied to him for far too long. His dreams had brought him here, and all that he had seen was coming true.

It was time at last.

His terrible, broken laughter echoed throughout the expansion of the building around him, chilling its occupants to the bone. As excitement raced through him, his hands tightened until his knuckles popped. He would not be stopped, he would not be denied. With the conclusion of his mission, every government on the planet would shake under his command.

Then the world would see what a true monster looked like.

He grinned again. _At last! Oh, at long last!_

To be continued...


	27. Authors notes:

Author's notes 2013

Greetings to anyone who may be reading this! I've written this up for anyone who may be interested as to the thoughts of the mind behind the story, or who has read one of my stories in the past.

Let me first thank you from the bottom of my heart for taking time to read my little work of fanfiction, and more importantly, thank you for reading fanfiction about Ranma ½ in general. It is an older show now, and many current anime fans have not even heard of it.

When I got into it back in 1994, the series' Viz release was only a year old. I collected it until the last manga came out in 2007. Since that time other series have also endured themselves to my heart, especially Inuyasha. But no matter how many shows I watch, Ranma ½ just has a special little charm that continues to hold my interest and affection.

It is because of this charm that I have revised, rewritten, and republished this story on over the years. I started the draft for this story when I was 16 and worked heavily on it off and on until I was 18 and now I am 31. That is why it is (to date) the longest story.

I've gotten a college degree, toured Japan and Russia, and now, after many years, I've decided that my series, the Nightmare Saga, needs to be finished. It is simply something I have to do. I've started by cleaning up, revising, and restructuring the other Nightmare Saga stories and side stories I've already uploaded to . In addition to these revisions that I am, I've finished the first two chapters of the next story that I've tentatively labeled "The Long Shadow." This story will focus heavily on Ranma and Kuno and a quest they embark upon together. I will have these chapters up hopefully the weekend of Feb 16th.

The last story Nightmare's Twilight has long been in my head and only needs to be put on paper. Ironically, it's the shadows story I've mentioned above that is causing such slow progression. I expect this story to contain the most drama and surprise. A nightmare often doesn't let a person wake up so easily and I intend for this story to reflect that.

I hope whoever is reading this has enjoyed my stories. I've tried to remain as faithful to the franchise as possible while advancing it after the (in my opinion) lackluster end to the anime and not entirely satisfying end to the manga. I find the greatest challenge to be writing comedy and yet I endeavor to add a bit of this to all these stories. Ranma ½ is, after all, a silly comedy and action show after all. The only thing I have tried to add was a greater sense of moral responsibility to Ranma's character as he's matured as well as a healthy dose of romance between the characters who have long endured the insanity of daily life in the Nerima district of Tokyo.

For some reason when uploading the new versions of this story, the font for the Shadow Warrior was replaced with normal Times New Romans. Furthermore, not every paragraph indented when pasted onto the site even though it was indented in my story. I'm not sure why this is. I also do not like the double space feature. An excess of scrolling down when reading often gets on my nerves and if you have experienced the same while reading this, I apologize. If you would like the true format for this story simply email me at Jason_Olin2002 and I'll be glad to send it to you.

Lastly, I'm always open to constructive criticism. Please feel free to leave feedback and comments. If there is something special you would like to see in the last two stories of the Nightmare Saga or in one of the revisions, let me know and we will see what can be done.

Thanks again for reading!

Sincerely,

Jason

Nightmare saga timeline:

1. The Warrior of the Shadows

2. A Wraith in the Night

3. The Long Awaited Moment

Side story 1: Seeking Redemption

4. The Long Shadow

Side story 2: How Do I Ask Her? (Side story two, occurs shortly after the third story.)

Side story 3: Treading on Hallowed Ground: The Musk Amazon War (Side story three, Two year event that occurs over the 4th and 5th stories. The first draft of this story was 300 pages and still not finished. My computer crashed in 2005 and I lost it. May or may not rewrite.)

5. Nightmare's Twilight.

Side story 4: Love's Eternal Blessing


End file.
